Love Once Lost
by Darkchyld1980
Summary: AU/Slight OOC: It's been 80 years since Bella has seen Edward. After her last feeding, Bella is forced to deal with the memories of a Love Once Lost, or so she thinks. Rewritten and improved. Please join me again in Bella's journey to learn the truth.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

A/N: Nothing really new in this chapter, just a few grammatical errors that I fixed. I thought the beginning of my story was still prefect, so I chose not to embellish on it.

Another lighting bolt lit up the night sky as I drained the last drops of blood from last donor of the evening. I leaned back from my victim's body and let it drop before my feet. I stepped back to survey the area.

_'Not a soul in sight'_.

I looked back down to the lifeless corpse that lay at my feet.

'_Hmm....now where can I discard this body properly_?'

I searched the area around me again. It was just another run of the mill alley way. Infested with rats, empty beer bottles, meaningless pieces of wayward trash scattered everywhere, but there along the left wall of the building was an opening large enough to push a body through.

I crouched down and lifted the body easily in my arms. I proceeded to walked down the alley way, carrying my dinner, - or would that be dessert - to its new destination of the whole on the wall that I found. A familiar tingling began to creep into the back of my head.

_'Oh shit, not now_,' I thought.

I quickened my pace to the hole I found. But no sooner than three steps into my hurried pace, that the onslaught of human memories pushed their way into my mind blanketing my senses and blinding me. Grunting in sudden pain, I dropped to knees with my victim still in my arms.

I hunched over the body as the memories continued their assault on my mind. In my mind's eye I could see every memory my victim had ever had. The good, the bad, and the insanely funny. Though these were somehow different, more painful, more vivid, more real, than I had ever experienced in my whole 108 years of life. I should have known when the first drop of their sweet blood hit my tongue, that these memories would hit me like a freight train. While I was almost completely incapacitated by the rush of memories and emotions that flowed with them, I was still acutely aware of my surroundings. A light drizzle had begun to fall, lightly coating my chestnut locks, as the memories began to ebb.

I knew it wasn't over though, as it was with all sugar-laced victims, as I like to call them, the worst was still to come. The victims with the sweetest blood usually had the worst the memories, and even though the initial shock of having them forced into my being wrecked havoc on my latent human emotions, the real pain came in the form of their most cherished memory, and that always came at the end.

Lifting my head skyward and blinking past the red tainted tears that slowly began their decent down my cheeks, I felt a small amount of peace as I willed myself into a stillness that only the undead can possess. Within a split second of my new-found stillness, the memory rushed into my head with a feeling of waves crashing upon the shore, only this wave did not immediately receed back into the ocean. It remained on the shore of my brain and pulsed like a heartbeat, slow and steady. I closed my eyes and the images began to filter through. My victim and another human, or what I thought was a human, walking hand in hand in a meadow.

_Strange, I know this place_.'

Even though I saw everything through my victim's eyes, I can hear and smell things she couldn't. Like the rush of cars that went by on the highway five miles to the east of the meadow. Or the smell of the moss that grew on the tree trunks that lined the forest's edge. She looked down that the two linked hands that slightly swung between her body and her companion's. Feeling her lips twitch in a smile, her gaze followed the linked hands up the arm of her companion's and settled on their neck. Her gaze lingered there for more than a minute and I suddenly noticed something she didn't. Her companion did _not _have a pulse, but I did notice that they had an Adam's Apple, so I at least knew that her companion was male. She continued to move her eyes to her companions hair. It was slightly disheveled and an unnatural shade of bronze. She watched as her companion ran the fingers of his free hand through his bronze locks. A feeling of familiarity tugged at my heart, but I wasn't sure why.

Her companion stopped in the middle of the meadow, stopping her as well, and unlinked their hands. She looked at him in confusion, and when he cocked his head to the side, she came to stand in front of him. His eyes were closed and a smirk lay on his lips. She looked over every inch of his face searched for the cause as to why they stopped. His arms slowly rose up to encircle her waist and bring her closer to his body. She instinctly put her arms around his neck and rested the left side of her face upon his chest. While she was basking in the strength of his arms around her waist and feeling the smooth hardness of his muscled chest, I couldn't help but notice that she never realized that his heart wasn't beating. She was too wrapped up in the notion that this man, this beautiful man, she thought, had brought her here to this place of utter beauty. As she breathed in deeply, so did I, and the scent was so intoxicating that I hunched once again over the body that still lay lifeless in my arms.

_'I know this scent_.'

I silently wept over my victim's body as I felt one of his arms retreat only to place a finger under her chin. I felt it as well as the strongest part of the memory began to pulse even stronger in my mind.

_'Thank god, it's almost over_.'

During the strongest emotional parts of the memory, my vampire senses become extremely heightened and I can feel what my victims felt physically.

The finger coaxed her chin up and as she began to life her face up towards his, his hand slowly cupping her cheek. She closed her eyes and smiled at the softness in his touch. How she couldn't feel the cold temperature of his skin was beyond me.

_'Stupid human_.'

She could feel his face coming closer to his, and she inhaled as she felt the velvety smoothness of lips descend upon hers. Her heart rate slowly began to climb as she felt the cold tip of his tongue run along her bottom lip, silently asking to be let it. I licked my bottom lip to see if I could taste him, but that was one sense that never traveled over from the memories. She sighed and parted her lips slightly and in doing so allowed him entrance to her mouth. His tongue slipped in and ran smoothly along hers. Timidly, her tongue came forth and slowly ran along his as he had done to her. Their kiss never became fevered or rushed, just a slow movement of lips and tongues as they both marveled in each others' touch. He slowly pulled back and lay one last soft kiss on her lips before pulling back all together and exhaling. With her eyes still closed, another lazy smile crept upon her face once again.

"Look at me," he said, his voice like velvet.

_'I know this voice_.'

As she slowly opened her eyes and focused on his, I wailed, ripping my mind from the memory and the face of my victim's companion. I opened my eyes peering down at the body in my arms and quickly shoved it away from me, suddenly disgusted by its presence in my arms. I grasped my head in my hands as the pain from ripping my mind away from the memory hit me. I continued to get flashes from the last memory: the meadow in all its beauty, the strength in the arms of the man that held my victim, the smoothness of his lips as they touched hers, but I had felt them on my own, the scent that was so intoxicating to my senses, and then the last and most painful flash was of his eyes. A green so vibrant that it couldn't have existed naturally on a human. A green somewhere between the deep green of an emerald, and the paleness of a peridot. The same green eyes that I had fallen into almost eight decades ago. I suddenly lurched forward and braced myself on the cold concrete below me on my left hand, while my right one was still firmly grasping my head.

"Edward," I breathed.

**A/N: Next chapter up soon, I promise. **


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Ok, so more grammatical errors have been fixed, and a few details have been changed, nothing huge yet.

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Mrs. Meyer, I am just borrowing them for my own fun.

As the pain finally washed away from my mind, I stood up slowly. The rain that had been just a drizzle had turned into a fine steady rainfall. Now completely drenched, I walked back over to the body I had discarded with sheer disgust over her human memories, and picked it up once again. I continued with my original plan, and shoved the body through the opening, effectively ridding me of the body that had causes me such pain.

_'Note to self, stay away from sugar-scented blood. Yeah, like I could ever resist_,' I thought.

Turning around so that I faced the opening to the alley way, another sensation washed over me; I was being watched. Scanning the area around me I found no trace of another human or vampire. Though I knew _something _was watching me, I just couldn't locate it.

As I neared the mouth of the alley way I could hear the rumbling of thunder starting to roll across the western sky. Making my way onto the deserted streets, I zipped up my coat and popped the collar up to encase my now wet neck. Blinking past the rain that assualted my vision, I decided I had had my fill of blood for the evening, and wanted nothing more than to retreat to the comforts of my apartment. I couldn't think about anything else but the memories and what they meant. Edward was here in my town. But why? Why now after 80 years of separation would he choose to make his presence known?

'_Why can't he just leave me alone in my misery? As if seeing him through another woman's eyes was bad enough? That just proves that he has moved on, right?_ _.'_

I forced my mind clear of any thoughts to avoid any painful aftershocks. Aftershocks happened every once in a while, and even though they were painful, they were not as painful as the physical and mental assault I had to endure after the feeding process. I only knew of a handful of vampires that had to go through this every time they fed, and even though they were _his_family, they had become mine after he left and my own family were dead and gone. Though the paternal units of own unique coven had left us forty years ago, we gained a long lost brother that had stumbled across me not long after that. As far as we knew, we were the only ones in existence that went through this, and because of the memories blanketing our senses, it actually rendered us slightly vulnerable during the process. we would take turns watching over each other as we fed so that no one could attempt to harm us during out state of vulnerability.

_'Maybe that's what I sensed before_.'

Finally noticing my surroundings, and realizing I was only a block away from my apartment, I quickened my pace. The music coming from the bar that was conveniently located under my apartment was loud, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to rest until it closed. I pulled the left sleeve of my jacket back and peered down at the watched that rested on my wrist. 2 am.

'_God, another hour of this shit. I just want silence, is that too much to ask_?'

Groaning in annoyance I approached the bar's doorway, and noticed a rather large figure covered in the shadows of the bar's awning. The figure straighten when I approached.

"Evening Bella. Have a nice night?"

"Fuck off Emmett, I am in no mood," I snapped back.

Emmett raised his hands in front of him palms facing me, and stepped back. I just glared at him, and moved the hair that was plastered to my face out of my eyes. When he noticed me glaring he lowered his hands. He slowly approached and noticed the unshed tears that stung behind my eyes, and the color that shown in them.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice clearly showing concern.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He rested his rather large right hand on my shoulder and bent down a little so he look into my eyes.

"You can't keep doing this Bella. You know it's unhealthy to keep these things bottled up. You know what happens when you do."

I shrugged his hand off, and moved to open the door. With my hand on the door knob, I looked over my left shoulder and said, "I am fully aware of what happens, and right now I don't care. I just want to be left alone. Is that ok with you?"

Emmett's brows scrunched in annoyance and frustration as he folded his arms across his massive chest. We stared at each other for a handful of minutes, before I finallly surrendered and let out a heavy sigh. I removed my hand from the door knob and turned around to fully face Emmett. He still stood in the exact same position with his arms crossed over his chest. Sighing himself, he uncrossed his arms and opened them toward me. I slowly walked toward him and circled my arms around his waist burying my head against his chest. He folded his arms around me, and squeezed slightly, while resting his head upon mine. This was where I felt safe most days. Emmett had always been like a brother to me ever since we met over forty years ago. And ever since that fateful day, he took on the role as my protector, and non-blood related brother. Silent tears escaped my eyes, and I sniffled quickly. Emmett squeezed a little more, and move away slowly.

"You know, I always envied the fact that you can cry, " he said softly while wiping the tears away with his large hands.

I sniffled again and moved away. Running my hands over my cheeks and removing the moisture, and looked up at him a smiled slightly. His shirt was plastered to his chest from hugging me and I laughed softly to myself. Emmett noticed my laugh and looked down at himself before looking back at me.

"You think this funny?" he asked.

His voice clearly said he wasn't angry, just amused at my apparent change in mood. I nodded and whipped my hair around at him spraying him with more moisture. He wiped his face off with his hand and glared at me.

"You're asking for it Bells."

I turned around and grabbed the door knob once again. As I opened the door and stared to walk in, he grabbed me by the shoulder to halt me from going any further. I looked at the hand on my shoulder and then at his face.

"If you want to keep that hand Emmett, I suggest you remove it. You remember what happened last time?"

"Oh, I remember. I'm counting on a rematch," he said with a cocky grin on his face and removed his hand from my shoulder.

"Later," I mouthed and walked into the bar.

The music hit my body like a slap and I staggered for a moment before I straightened back up. I made my way to the bar at the rear of the room and settled myself on a stool.

_'Shit_,' I thought.

I placed my arms on the bar and rested my cheek upon them facing the stage where the bar's house band played..

"Bad night?" a masculine voice asked.

I lifted my head from my arms and looked at the face the voice belonged to.

"You could say that," I replied. I looked around the bar noticing how packed it actually was, then turned back to man.

"How's business Jasper?"

"Same old, same old. Though you would know that if you helped out every once in a while, instead of hiding within yourself," he replied picking up a dish rag and throwing over his left shoulder. He bent to the right and removed something from under the bar. When he stood back up, he hand a handful from clothes.

"Here, Alice left these for you. Said you would them, and by the looks of it you do," he said placing the pile of clothing on the bar top and looking me over.

"What happened?" he asked bringing his hand up to cup my cheek, noticing my now bloodshot eyes.

I flinched away from the contact as a flashback from the painful memory made its way into my mind. Jasper's hand froze mid-air as I flinched, and slowly moved it back to his side straightening up in the process.

"N-nothing," I stammered.

"Doesn't look like nothing, " he said.

I glared at him and said, "I don't want to talk about it. Emmett already tried, so what makes you think you can do any better?" I always hated being snippy with Jasper, but tonight I was in no mood for _bonding time_.

Jasper crossed his arms across his chest much like Emmett did and gave me the exact same look. One of annoyance and frustration. I cocked an eyebrow and stared at him. He sighed and relaxed his posture, clearly giving up.

"You know I love you, right?" he asked. I just nodded my head but stared at him blankly.

He rested his forearms on the bar and leaned down on them, hanging his head a defeat. When he looked back up at me, I noticed his naturally topaz eyes had bled to a soft cornflower blue. The color his eyes used to be when he used to be human. His eyes would change color when he was experiencing human emotions, as would the entire coven. They would change color with our emotions due to the human ones that we were forced to deal with after our feeding. Blue generally meant sadness and his just happened to match his human eye color. I hated seeing Jasper sadden by me, and it tore at my heart for a second before I quickly regained my composure. He leaned forward with a tiny smile and rested his right cheek against my left one.

"Please don't do this to yourself Bella," he whispered in my ear. "I know what you are going through, and I know you can't keep this up for long," he continued. "I couldn't bare the thought of what might happened to you if you keep this up."

I nodded slightly rubbing my cheek against his, and inhaled his scent. He always smelled like pine trees and fresh laundry.

_'Home_,' I thought.

"I know," he whispered and moved back.

Though Jasper couldn't actually hear my thoughts, he was an empath and could sense them. I looked at him again and watched as his eyes bled back to topaz.

"Promise me you will talk to one of us tonight? I know you like to keep this rough exterior, but I know the _real _you, and if you won't come to me, would you at least go to Alice?" He asked grabbing the dish rag off his shoulder and stared to wipe down the top of the bar. I grabbed the pile of clothes and moved off the stool. I looked back at him and said in a whisper, "I promise."

While making my way towards the bathroom on the other end of the bar, clothes hanging by my side but not touching so as to not get them soaked, an aftershock rocked through my system driving me to my knees, fresh dry clothes utterly forgotten. Several bodies moved away from me as I fell and I distantly heard Emmett's loud voice coming from the bar's entrance. I couldn't make out his words as another aftershock rushed over me again forcing me to brace myself on my hands against the hardwood floor. I tried to gain my undead stillness, but the rush of memories were suddenly too strong and I started to lean to my right. When the right side of my body crashed onto the floor I continued to hear Emmett's booming voice over the band's music calling out for Jasper. I was starting to lose consciousness and my eyelids started to droop.

_'Stupid stubborn self_,' I thought.

Flashes of that intoxicating scent washed over me again and all I could see in my vision was those haunting green eyes again. Closing my eyes, I tried to force myself up on my hands, but my body had other plans and decided I needed to stay where I was. Groaning through the pain of the aftershocks, I could hear that the band had stopped and the shuffling of feet as bodies were being moved away from me.

"Alright people! Bar's closed, everyone clear out!" Emmett shouted.

_'I love my big brother_,' I thought. I really didn't want anyone to see me like this. It was rather embarrassing. One minute I am walking through the crowded bar, relieved to get out of my wet clothing, the next minute, I am curled into the fetal position on the floor.

When the shuffling of feet stopped all together, my eyes opened slowly to see two pairs of feet standing in front me. I rolled onto my back, and looked up. There stood Emmett and Jasper, both with concerned looks on their faces and matching blue eyes.

"I told her this would happen," Emmett said turning to Jasper.

"I know, bro. I told her too. Since when has Bella ever listened to us? She is just as stubborn now as she was when she was human," Jasper replied looking down at me.

I closed my eyes again so I couldn't see their concern laced faces and tried to concentrate on my breathing. But, that wasn't the best idea, cause all I could smell was Edward's scent. Suddenly, another memory flashed behind my closed eyes, but this memory was my own, and not that of the victim that I had claimed earlier. This memory was of the only memory of Edward I allowed to myself to keep. A painful memory that served its purpose time and time again to let me know that I was still lost in this world without him. It was the day he left me, effectively shattering my existence and my heart.

'"_I love you Bella, always and forever, but we can't be together. It's too dangerous," _his words echoed in my head.

Grasping my head in my hands to try to quiet his velvety voice, but it returned again.

"_I know this doesn't make sense now, but in time you'll see I was right," _his voice echoed again as I watched him move away from me in the memory.

"Oh God," I groaned. "Make it stop, make _him_ stop. Make _his_ voice go away," I said to myself.

I felt arms under my shoulders and knees as I was lifted off the floor. By the scent I knew it was Emmett. Like I said, he was my protector, so he took care of me whenever this happened. When we kept the memories bottled up, we kept the pain that came with them bottled up as well. When we talked to each other about them, the pain always went way and never returned. But when we kept them to ourselves like I had been doing for the past month, it begins to take a toll on your body, and your body eventually gives up. Think about a human suffering from extreme exhaustion. That's basically what it amounts to, and I had reached my breaking point. The other memories that I had kept were actually pleasant ones, though still painful, and with the added memories of Edward, it finally pushed my mind and my body over the edge and into exhaustion and slight hallucination. Because even though it was Emmett carrying me, I could still smell Edward everywhere around me.

I slowly raised my arms to encircle Emmett's neck as he stared to carry me up the stairs that were located behind the bar in the rear of the room.

"I told you so," Jasper whispered.

I just grunted as I looked over Emmett's massive shoulder to see Jasper following us up the stairs to my apartment. The look on his face of still of concern, but a flash of anger mixed with it. As I rested my head against Emmett's shoulder, I let my eyes slip close and let exhaustion have me.

Somewhere in the distant I could heard voices, but couldn't make out every word. Shifting under the blankets that covered me, I slowly start to wake. The exhaustion pulled back slowly and I started to hear more clearly. I knew who the voices belonged to, Emmett and Jasper, who else would be standing watch over me?

"Do you understand what she said?" Emmett asked in hushed tones.

"Yeah, she said, 'make _his_ voice go away',' Jasper replied in the same hushed tones as Emmett..

"Do you know what this means?" Emmett asked again.

"Yes, better than you do," Jasper said in a slightly annoyed voice.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means Emmett, that I was there for her after he left, after he crushed her heart. I was the one to pick up the pieces, with the help of Alice of course. But it was me who showed her that she could still love and be loved in return. It look almost a decade, but I still managed it."

"But I thought that you and Alice?"

"Yes, me and Alice are together, and always have been. We took a step back from each other until Bella finally healed. It was a mutual agreement. Alice understood every step of the way, and supported it. I don't love Bella the same way anymore, she knows it and accepts it. She's like my best friend and little sister all wrapped up into one, and she feels the same way towards me. It is a bond that can never be broken."

I felt the tears start to fall from my eyes at Jasper's words. Jasper was my best friend, and had been after move that eight decades. Wherever he and Alice went, I went. They never left me behind, and I would be forever grateful to them for helping me through a decade of darkness.

At this, I removed the covers off my body, and sat up looking at the two people who stood in the doorway of my room. They both turned in my direction and saw the tears that rolled down my cheeks. I opened my arms to them and moved towards me in a flash, falling onto the bed, both hugging my sides. I closed my arms around their bodies and crushed them to me. They return with the same crushing force that would have crushed a human to death. 'Family Bear Hugging' it what we called it after Emmett enter our lives, and it was always the best.

They both pulled back at the same time, and each took a cheek and wiped away the tears.

"Guess I'm off the hook, huh?" I asked laughing.

"For now," Jasper replied as he sat up against the headboard pulling me into his side wrapping his arms around me softly. I snuggled into his embrace and encircled his waist with my arms, as Emmett moved the rest of the way off the bed. He stood up and made his way to the door, stopping just inside the door frame and turned around.

"You know you still owe me a rematch?" he asked.

I nodded and sat up pulling myself out of Jasper's arms. As I got off the bed, Emmett's cell phone went off.

"Shit," he cursed. He pulled his phone out of his left jean pocket and flipped it open.

"Hello?" he asked.

I started to make my way towards him, when he put up a finger and halted me in my spot.

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

I cocked my head to the side and strained my ears to pick up the voice on the other end, but because of the exhaustion I could only get every other word. I heard, 'coming here', and 'get her out', but that was about it.

"When?" he asked as he looked at Jasper, who had gotten off the bed and moved to my side.

"How? Mmhmm...well where are we going to go?" he asked again.

I felt Jasper stiffen next to me. He could no doubt hear the other part of the conversation and obviously it wasn't what he wanted to hear. He protectively put an arm across my shoulders and pulled me into his left side.

"Alright. I'll tell them. Yes, I love you too. Bye," he said as he closed the phone and shoved it back into his pocket. He looked at Jasper for a moment and flicked his gaze to me for a second before moving back to Jasper.

"We got a problem."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Added a little bit to Jacob and Bella's back story but not much. New details have been scattered all over the chapter.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Mrs. Meyer, I just borrow them, and maybe a quote or two.

"What kind of problem Emmett?" Jasper asked tightening his grip on my shoulder causing me to crane my neck to look up at him.. All I could see was anger in his face. I know he heard the other part of the phone conversation, so he was probably just asking for my sake.

"Word got out about our location," He said calmly.

My attention immediately snapped to Emmett's words, and I turn my head quickly to look at him. His face was also full of anger, that is almost rivaled Jasper's, _almost_.

"What the fuck is going on guys?" I asked whipping my face back and forth between the two of them. Both men stood silently just glaring at one another.

I pulled away from Jasper and stood in between the two of them, still looking back and forth at their faces. Jasper was the first one to flick his gaze in my direction, only to have it settle back on Emmett's face. It looks like they were having a silent conversation and at one point I was brought into the conversation.

"I am standing right here guys. Care to fill me in?" I asked placing my hands on my hips. A gesture that only Alice really does, but when you spend a couple of decades with someone, you tend to pick a few things up along the way.

Emmett tore his eyes away from Jasper's to lock on mine in the same instant I looked at him. His face softened for a moment only to be turned back into one of anger. He slowly approached me and laid both of his hands gently on my shoulders. Looking down at me, I notice his eyes aren't the usual red they usually are when he gets angry. Instead, they are his topaz, but with a small ring of black around the edge of the iris, and I instantly know he's hiding something. Our eyes are usually a dead giveaway to our emotions, but Emmett has learned to school himself, so to not give away the obvious.

"Bella...." he starts with a sigh. He looks up from my eyes and looks at the man standing behind me.

"The Volturi are coming," Jasper said from behind me. My hands drop from my waist as I turn around to look at him. I noticed his eyes hadn't changed either. What the fuck was going on? I shrug Emmett's hands off my shoulders and back away from the two of them.

"What are you two hiding?"

Jasper steps towards me and asks, "What do you mean?"

"Don't fuck with me Jasper. I _know _you guys are hiding something," I replied crossing my arms across my chest.

Emmett steps towards me as well, but stops as I shake my head at him. He looks at Jasper for a split second and Jasper nods his head.

"Bella, have you ever noticed that we move around a lot?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, so. I thought we liked a change of scenery every five years," I said nodding.

He rubs the back of his neck with one hand and said, "Yeah, there is that, but that isn't the only reason."

He looked at Jasper once again and once again Jasper only nods.

"Spit it out already guys, I'm starting to mummify over here." And yes, that was my lame attempt to joke, because seriously the tension that hung in the air around the room was thick enough to cut through.

Jasper clears his throat and steps toward to me. I back up a step and he puts his hands out palms facing me as to show he wasn't going to touch me. I stop moving and so does he. He quickly inhales and exhales slowly.

"Dude, we got to tell her," Emmett whispers.

"Tell me what? Goddammit!" I yell in annoyance. I hated being in the dark about something that was obviously important, and dammit, they both knew that.

"Bella, the Volturi have been searching for our coven for the past thirty years. They got news our of unique gifts and has wanted us destroyed ever since," Jasper said.

"Why?" I asked softly looking down at my feet. I felt Jasper move closer to me put his hands on my shoulders.

"Do you have any idea, how powerful we are, you especially?" he asked in a gentle tone.

Sure I knew. Between Alice's visions, Jasper's empathic abilities, not to mention his ability to manipulate emotions in others, Emmett's intimidating size and insane superhuman strength, and when you factor in my abilities, most covens wouldn't come within 100 miles of us. We just screamed power. Other vampires normally steered clear of us, but since opening the bar, they naturally flocked to us in seek of our friendship. I had thought that with opening the bar three years ago would mean that we were going to be staying, apparently, I was wrong.

"I'm nobody special Jasper, " I lied. I knew I was special, and I hated it.

Jasper's head flew back in laughter and turned to Emmett, "Nobody special she says!" Emmett immediately joined Jasper in laughing, and I just stood there watching both of them. Jasper removed his hands from my shoulders and took a step back still laughing, but more quietly.

"Bella, you are probably the most powerful vampire in existence," Emmett said, his voice still shaking with laughter.

I shook my head at both of them. I never wanted to believe that line no matter how many times they tried to tell me. I didn't want to be special, or the "most powerful" as they put it. I just wanted a normal existence, well as normal as a vampire's existence can get.

But alas, I _was_ special, and I _did_ have a _rare_ ability, and what was so rare about it was that I could shut off my abilities when I wanted to, though I didn't tell anyone that. _That _part of my ability I kept to myself. No one knew about it and no one would ever find out. If they did, I would be put in a laboratory to be tested on. They would take many blood samples to find the exact sequence in my unique DNA and try to duplicate it. There were many of us that hated our existence, and wanted nothing more than the ability to shut off our unnatural abilities. The one that I knew who hated their existence the most was the one that shattered my heart more than 80 years ago.

I snapped out of my thoughts to notice Jasper and Emmett hurrying around the room packing my chothes in duffle bags.

"Go down to the bar and call Jacob. Tell him it's time," Emmett said.

"Huh?' I asked.

"Just do it Bella. He'll know what that means."

I left my room and walked downstairs to the bar. I stopped just one the last step and took in my surroundings.

_'Wow! Emmett can really clear a room_.'

There were empty bottles all over the floor; some where broken in the hurry to leave. My eyes swept the room and saw the cordless phone lying on the stage front. I made way over and picked it up, dialing Jacob's phone number. Ahh Jacob, my werewolf best friend. We became really close after Edward left, and have remained close after all these years. Due to his freaky werewolf metabolism, he didn't age quite like the average human. When we became best friends, he didn't look a day of fifteen, now, he didn't look a day over twenty-five. Like I said, freaky werewolf metabolism.

It rang twice before he picked up.

"I know you want me Bella, just spit it out already." After many a failed attempts of Jacob trying to convince me that we belonged together, and me shutting him down each and every time, this was the lovely humorous best friend banter that our conversations had been reduced to.

"Can it Jacob; it's time," I said.

There was a second of silence before he said, "Oh."

"So you do know what that means?" I asked.

"Unfortunately."

"Care to elaborate?" I asked sweetly trying to get info.

"Can't. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Can't or won't Jacob?"

"A little of column A and a little from column B," he replied.

"Dammit Jacob, just tell me what's going on!" I yelled.

"Sorry Bella, but this was one promise I made that I can't break," and with that last he hung up.

"Dammit!" I yelled throwing the phone across the room.

Just then Emmett and Jasper appeared at the bottom of the stairs, both with four duffel bags a piece. They set them down on the floor and Jasper walked around behind the bar. He disappeared for a second only to emerge with what looked like a safety deposit box. I didn't even know that was down there.

I approached the bar as Jasper propped open the lid.

"Whatcha got there?" I asked.

"Necessities. Is Black on his way?" he replied.

"Yeah."

Jasper pulled everything out of the deposit box and laid it on the bar top. The "necessities" included, ten bundles of cash, four passports, five cellphones, and a set of car keys. I glanced up at Jasper and saw the sternness in his expression.

"Why do we need all that?" I asked leaning forward on the bar, and peering into the deposit box. There were at least fifteen more bundles of cash in there.

"We're leaving Bella. This is all we need until we get to our new destination."

"And where's that exactly?" I asked leaning back.

"I don't know. Alice is making those arrangements; she just told me what to grab," he said closing the lid and placing back under the bar.

A knock came from behind me and as I turned to make my way over, Emmett rushed passed me going for it instead. He peered through the peep hole and I saw him grin slightly.

"What's the password?" he yelled out.

"Emmett knock it off and let me in," a muffled voice yelled back.

"Emmett? Who's this Emmett you speak of?" he asked loudly turning around toward us and grinning like a kid on Christmas. I rolled my eyes at him, and nodded towards the door. I knew who it was, and what Emmett was trying to do.

"Fuck Emmett! Are you really gonna make me say it?"

"Again, who is this Emmett you speak of?"

A bang came from the other side of the door and the voice said, "Fine you win. Vamps rule and Dogs drool! There are you happy now? Will you please let me in? I'm soaked."

Emmett stepped back opened the door. Jacob walked in passed him and muttered, "Asshole."

"I do that all the time, Jacob. What made you think tonight was actually different?" Emmett asked closing the door and locking it.

"I guess I am still hoping you will eventually grow up," Jacob replied shaking the moisture off his coat.

"Haha, never!" Emmett yelled.

_'That's my boy_!'

Jacob approached me slowly, stopping a foot in front of me. I looked up at him and cocked my eyebrow.

"Hi Bella," he whispered leaning down towards me. I knew he was going to kiss me, he did this every time, sort of a hello kiss between best friends, but at the last second I turned my head to the side and he kissed my cheek.

Jasper cleared his throat behind me and I looked back at him. He quickly went back to whatever the hell he was doing, and I turned my attention back to Jacob.

"Black," I spat back at him and walked around him moving over to the stage and hoisting myself up on the edge of it.

"Are you seriously mad at me?" he asked still standing in his original position.

I looked over at Emmett who had the biggest grin plastered across his face. I turned back to Jacob to notice him walking toward me. When he saw me glaring at him he halted.

"I'm only trying to protect you Bella," he said.

"Protect me from what?" I asked hopping off the edge stage moving toward him.

"From them."

"Well if I am supposed to be this all powerful vampire, then why do I need to be protected?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest.

Jacob looked over at Emmett and then over to Jasper as if asking for a little help.

"Nuh uh, Jacob. Whatever you said to piss her off, is something you are going to have to deal with yourself," Jasper said.

"I only told her the truth, man."

"Well, obviously, this truth will not set you free," Emmett chimed in laughing.

Jacob hung his head in defeat and then looked back up at me. He slowly raised his hands walking toward me and when he noticed I wasn't going to back away, he paid them upon my shoulders.

_'Does everyone have a fetish my doing this_?'

Jacob bent at the waist slightly and looked directly in my eyes. His black orbs burned with intensity into mine, and I had to close my eyes for a second, not wanting to see the emotions he was projecting.

"Bella, I know this doesn't make sense right now...." he started, but I flinched at his words and walked back quickly.

Jacob looked confused for a second, and glanced over at Emmett who was shaking his head.

Those same words screamed through my head, and I had to catch myself on the end of the stage as the memory of that fateful day slammed into me.

_**FLASHBACK**_

Edward and I were sitting in the meadow he had come across I don't know how many years ago, just enjoying the day like any other. But something was off about him today, and I couldn't shake the feeling of despair that had slowly began to creep its way into my heart.

He stared down at our entwined fingers, and sighed heavily.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

He freed his hand from mine and ran it through his hair.

"We need to talk Bella," he said flatly.

I hunched my shoulders and looked down at my lap. The despair that had crept in my heart was beginning to grow.

"Ok," I said weakly.

"I can't do this anymore."

Shocked by his words, I snapped my head up to look at him, only to notice that he wasn't even looking at me. "What you mean?" I ask softly.

"I mean us. Don't get me wrong, it was great while it lasted, but I think we both need to move on from this."

I could have sworn that in that moment my heart had begun to break. Little by little the cracks in my heart's surface began to ebb and flow. I felt the burning of tears behind my eyes and fought not to release them. I frantically searched his face for signs that he was joking, but there was nothing there but a blank look as he stared at the woods in front of him.

"But I thought..." I said, my voice trailing off as a traitor tear escaped my right eye. I closed my eyes and quickly brushed it off hoping that Edward hadn't seen it. But with my unfortunate luck he did and turned toward me.

"Bella, look at me," he said softly.

I shook my head. I knew if I looked at his beautiful face and his intense green eyes that the tears would escape and give away my apparent heartbreak at his words.

I felt his finger under my chin and he lifted my face towards his. I kept my eyes closed tightly trying to keep in my tears, but one by one they escaped and made their way slowly down my cheeks.

"Bella, please open your eyes," he said softly again.

I slowly opened my eyes and let him see that the truth the lay behind them. He flinch the second I looked up at him, and I knew then that he could see what was happening to me. His green eyes bore into mine with emotion, that it only made the tears flow faster.

"'I love you Bella, always and forever, but we can't be together. It's too dangerous," he spoke these damning words slowly, as if trying to convey some secret message, that my feable human brain could not comprehend at the present moment, but my heart knew what he was saying, and that's what hurt most of all.

I closed my eyes again, letting more tears escape and whispered, "Please......don't do this."

He rested his forehead gently against mine, and gently cupped both of my cheeks in his cold hands.

_"_I know this doesn't make sense now, but in time you'll see I was right," he whispered.

I couldn't move, could barely breathe as the force behind his words sunk in. He didn't want me. How could I have been so stupid to think that me, plain Bella, could ever deserve the love if this beautiful creature? I was obviously very stupid.

"But..." I sniffed.

"Shhh.." he said lifting his head from mine and gently resting his lips against my forehead.

"Don't worry. I'll never bother you again. You will never have to see me again. It'll be as if I never existed. You'll forget me in time," he said with his lips still placed against my skin. Then he pressed them a little firmer, kissing my forehead.

And it was then, that my heart broke into a thousand tiny shards, that ripped through my chest and effectively shattered my being.

_'Never existed? How could I _ever_ possibly forget you_?'

I started to move my hands up to hold his hands against my wet cheeks, but a breeze whipped my hair around my face, and I opened my eyes to see the cause, only to find that he was no longer there.

I blinked serveral times and looked around me, searching to him, but not finding him anywhere.

I lifted my head skyward and screamed, "Noooooooo!"

**END FLASHBACK**

"Nooooooo!"

"Shhh, Bella, it's ok. It's right here, we're all right here," a voice called, as I felt hands cup my cheeks

I opened eyes to see Jacob peering down at me with worried eyes. I looked passed him and saw Jasper and Emmett standing close behind him. Both of their eyes were blue, and concern was written all over their faces.

I looked back at Jacob and blinked several times.

"What was _that_?" he asked.

"A memory," Jasper answered.

"Are they always this bad?" he asked again.

"Worse," I replied in a small voice.

Jacob ran the pads of his thumbs across my cheeks and wiped away the tears I hadn't known I was shedding.

"I still find it strange that you can still cry," he whispered kissing my forehead. I jerked away from at his kiss. _That_ part of the memory was still burning behind my eyes.

I shrugged Jacob's hands off me and walked over to Jasper instantly hugging him to me. He returned my hug encircling my waist and leaned his head against mine.

"What?" Jacob asked.

Emmett cleared his throat and said, "Dude, you know you can't kiss her on the forehead."

I looked back at Jacob, and the expression on his face clearly said he had no idea what Emmett was talking about.

"Since when?"

I looked at Jasper and whispered, "I don't think he knows."

Jasper looked down at me and smiled slightly, eyes bleeding back to topaz.

"Umm...hello? Waiting on an answer here. Since when can't I kiss her on the forehead?" Jacob asked leaning against the stage.

"Since 2007 jackass! For someone who has known her the same length as Jasper, you're an idiot. I've only known her for half that amount of tim, and even _I_ know not to do that. " Emmett replied.

Jacob scrunched his eyebrows in confusion for a second, and then a second later, I swear you could actually see the light bulb flick on over his head.

He looked directly at me and said, "Oh," in a whisper.

Just as I pulled away from Jasper, Alice burst through the bar door completely ripping it out of the door frame.

"We need to leave, **NOW**!"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: For any new readers, the story is based out of Seattle, even though my original story is based out of New York. And please know that I am not particularly one to describe every single outfit my characters wear, so please don't ask. I will mention articles of clothing here and there, but I won't go into detail. Please don't be mad. An excuse the movie quotes and references if you notice them. Just some new details and thoughts added to this chapter. The newest details and added dialogue and thoughts should begin within the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Mrs. Meyer, and we love her dearly for them. Movie references and quotes belong to those who wrote them.**

With only making two trips between the bar and the SUV parked on the curb outside, we were all set to go. Alice was behind the wheel, with me and Emmett in the second row seats. The passenger seat was conveniently left clear for Jasper, who was still discussing the situation to Jacob. Alice's was drumming her fingers along the steering wheel.

"How long?" Emmett asked leaning forward.

"Forty-five minutes tops," Alice replied.

Emmett sat back in an annoyed huff, as I stared out the window and watched Jasper and Jacob talk. Another minute passed and Alice honked the horn. Jasper looked back at us and held up one finger, while Alice sighed rather loudly. I rolled my eyes at her and continued to watch their conversation. I watched as Jasper pulled out a phone and placed it in Jacob's hands.

In a muffled voice I heard Jacob say, "remember the promise," while extending his hand toward Jasper. Jasper took hold and shook the other man's hand while nodding in agreement.

They broke apart and turned toward the vehicle. While Jasper climbed in the front passenger seat, Jacob shoved the newly acquired phone in his front jean pocket, made his way to my car door. He opened it and pulled me out slightly and hugging me to his chest. I immediately hugged him back and rested my head against his chest.

"Take care Bells," he whispered into my hair.

I just nodded in response, my voice not quite working just yet. He pulled back and cradled my head between his hands. As I stared into his black eyes, I watched as they began to water and the tears began to over flow.

"Jacob..." I breathed.

"Shh...listen to me. If you are ever in any kind of trouble, you just run, ok? Don't be brave, just run," He whispered.

"Yes Jenny," I snorted.

From beside me, Emmett burst into laughter with Alice and Jasper both joining in. Jacob looked disappointed for a moment as he stared at the other vampires in the car. Turning his attention back to me, I saw a whole new intensity behind his gaze. Blinking passed my own tears, I couldn't help but giggle a little at my joke. Jacob shook his head once, leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose.

"Miss you," he whispered again.

"Me too, " I whispered leaning in and kissing his cheek.

Jacob pulled back and shut my door walking up to Jasper's, just as Jasper rolled the window down. He leaned out as Alice pulled the SUV into drive.

"I'll contact you when we get to a safe place. Don't let anyone touch that phone," Jasper said.

"I won't. You guys take care, and watch your backs," Jacob replied.

He spared me another glance and smiled.

_'Please don't let this be the last time I see him_.'

"Don't worry Bells. It takes a lot to kill a werewolf," he said.

_'Damn mutt is to overly observant_,' I thought.

Alice pulled off the curb and started to drive off. I spun around in my seat and watched as my best friend waved at us and slowly disappeared from my vision. Turning back around, Emmett patted my knee. I looked up at him, blinking passed my silent tears.

"It's alright Bella. Jacob can take care of himself. Besides, the whole pack is near by, so _if_he gets into trouble, they are only a thought away," Emmett said reassuringly, giving my knee a final squeeze and pulling his hand away.

I could only nod at his words. I knew Jacob could take care of himself. He had already proved that time and time again. Didn't mean I would worry any less. I hated my loved ones putting their lives on the line for me, it made me feel weak sometimes, when I was anything but. Staring out my window I just hoped that I would be able to see my best friend again.

Several hours later, we had cleared Washington state and were heading into Oregon. The sun had just began to rise and it had set the sky on fire with its many rays of color.

_'Thank Holy Jebus for heavily tinted windows_,' I thought.

I just sat in silence and watched as the world around me came and went with every mile south we made. Alice had said we were heading down to Malibu for the night to hunt, before making our way to Phoenix. I had voiced my opinion about how sunny Arizona actually is, but Alice just shook her head and said it would be fine.

_'Stupid all-knowing pixie_.'

Slowly, I mean slowly, because we had plenty of sunlight to burn, Oregan's scenery melted into California's and we found ourselves outside of a Hampton Inn just off of the Pacific Coast Highway, just as the sun had cleared the horizon. As Alice handed the keys over to the valet, and Emmett unloaded our bags, Jasper and I did a quick sweep of the area to find the best place to "grab" a bite to eat. We had actually found a dive of a bar around the corner of the hotel, and decided that would be the best place. From the looks of the place, no self-respecting human would be caught dead here. But then again, that also helped appease our minds, thinking that only low-lives frequented here.

Standing just outside the door of the bar, Jasper would occasionally peer inside as patrons walked in. As he turned back to me his nostrils flared just a hand came to rest on my shoulder. Stepping forward away from the hand and closer to Jasper, I turned to see a blonde haired man standing before me. He raised his hands in the air in a show of no ill-will, and stepped back.

"Sorry, you just looked like someone I knew. I didn't mean any harm," he said. I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and scooted closer to Jasper by a half a step, and looked at him. Jasper had his eyes trained on the man in front of me.

_'Ewwww...creepy drunk human! Now I'm gonna have to burn this shirt.' _

"No harm done. We were just on our way," Jasper said sliding his arm around my waist and turning me in the other direction.

Before we could walk a few steps, the man called out, "Well, could I at least buy you guys a beer?"

Jasper stopped, looked over his shoulder, and said, "We don't drink.....beer."

I giggled at his pause and answer and swung an arm over his broad shoulders. Now Jasper was about six inches taller than me, so it was no easy feat, but I managed. He turned back to me and smiled, as we continued back to the hotel.

One hour later, we were all showered, changed, and rather hungry. As Emmett and I neared the entrance we heard Jasper say, "Alice."

We stopped and turned around to notice that Alice had stopped walking and stared blankly at us.

"Alice?" I asked walking toward her. I stopped in front of her and waved my hand in her face. She blinked several times and shook her head.

"Sorry, I thought I _saw_ someone I knew," she said flatly. She linked our arms together and began walking again to the door.

As we stepped out into the night, and headed in the direction of the bar that Jasper and I found, we were all accosted with several scents all at once. My mouth immediately watered at the thought of my upcoming dinner, and Alice quickened her pace. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jasper and Emmett steadily keeping pace with us. She quickened her steps once more and without turning her head she said, "Sorry boys, girl talk!"

I turned my head to her and she winked at me.

"Jasper told me what happened yesterday."

"Oh?" I asked.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I did watch out for you though," she said hanging her head down slightly.

"So that was you?" I asked turning my head.

She nodded then said, "After I saw that you were ok, I headed back to the bar, but half way there I got the vision of the Volturi. I had to start making arrangements."

I squeezed her arm a little telling her that it was ok, and to not worry about it.

As we rounded the corner and saw the bar a few feet ahead of us, Alice leaned in and said, "I am gonna take the guys downtown for dinner and we will meet you back at the hotel in one hour. Go in and the first guy you lay eyes on is your dinner for the evening."

I stopped and looked at her.

"Trust me," she said, and with that she gave me a kiss on the cheek and disappeared back around the corner.

Seeing the bar doors opened wide, I hung my head down and walked in. By now, I knew that my eyes were black with thirst, and didn't want anyone but my dinner to see them. If too many people saw them, they would stop and stare. We never wanted to draw attention to ourselves when we were hungry, so this is how we handled it.

As I attempted to make my way through the mass of bodies that suprisingly inhabited this bar, I bumped into a body and stumbled back. Hands shot out to steady me, and as I looked up, I saw a pair of blue eyes staring back at my black ones.

The man just stood there holding on to my arms gaping at me. I shrugged his arms off and lifted my finger to his chin closing it. I leaned into him closely, my mouth resting next to his ear and whispered, "You don't want to catch flies do you?"

I felt him inhale and shudder. A vampire's scent is an aphrodisiac for humans, which is how we are able to lure them in so easily. But, we also tend to lure in the crazy psycho every once in a while, and sometimes, it can get a little messy.

"Do you wanna take a walk with me?" I asked in another soft whisper. He just nodded in response.

_'Hook, line, and sinker_!'

I stepped back from him and took one of his hands in mine. I slowly pulled him back to the bar's entrance, and silently slipped back out in the night.

"What's your name?" he asked keeping pace with me.

"Bella," I replied pulling him closer to me.

"Bella," he breathed.

"And yours?" I asked.

"Mike."

"Well Mike, it's nice to meet you."

"And you as well Bella."

Our walk was one of silence. Old Mikey boy here thought he was probably gonna get some, but I of course had other ideas in mind.

Scanning the area, I saw an alleyway across the street, and quckly pulled my dinner...I mean Mike, across the street.

Slipping into the shadows of the alley way I pushed Mike up against the wall and attacked his mouth with mine. He stood there stunned for a minute, but responded rather quickly and pushed back against my lips. I sucked on his bottom lip as his arms encircled my waist and pulled me into his body. When I felt his tongue sweep across my upper lip and decided to grant my meal this once thing and opened for him. As soon as his tongue entered my mouth, I immediately thanked all Holy Jebus that this human hadn't drank yet, and continue to let his tongue dominate mine.

'_Ugh, he kisses like a damn fish.'_

I pulled back minutely with soft pecks on his lips and he opens his now heavy-lidded eyes and strares at me.

"Aggressive, I like that," he said.

_'You ain't seen nothing yet, Mikey boy_," I thought.

I kiss the edge of his jaw, running my tongue along his stubble, feeling him shiver against me, and I smiled against the curve of his face. Bringing my mouth to his left ear, I ask, "You like your woman aggressive?"

As he nods I suck his earlobe into my mouth and flick it with my tongue.

"Then you'll love me," I said as I pulled back and blew over the now wet skin, earning me another shiver.

Grinning against the skin below his ear, I kiss my way down his neck and settle over his jugular. Sucking softly on the vein, I can hear his heart racing and his blood flow quickening. Sucking a little harder on the vein I brought my right hand up around his neck and my left one around his waist to hold him place. With one final swipe of my tongue I bit down hard, and heard Mike hiss.

Immediately as his blood hit my tongue I swallowed convulsively. His blood had an usual taste, but was not entirely bad, just different. This was a flavor I was not used to.

_'Well, Rosalie did say that Californians tasted different_," I thought as I continued to gulp down the life elixir that was flowing freely into my mouth.

Mike started to clutch onto my arms as the initial feeding began, but I felt his strength start to wane and his body started to go limp in my arms. Swallowing the last gulp, I released him from my grasp and let him drop to the ground.

"Thanks Mike, I _was_rather thirsty," I said bending down and picking him up.

I had noticed a dumpster at the end of the alley way and quickly deposed his body. Walking out of the alley way and across the street, I realized that no one was _watching_ me.

_'Odd. We always watch out for one another_.' I decided to let that thought go.

Checking my watch and only realizing I still had time to burn, I decided to walk around a bit, and possibly find a quiet place to let the memories invade my mind. Time went by quickly and I was slightly irked that the memories hadn't hit me yet. Something was off. It _never_ took this long for human memories to come to light. Usually it took about five minutes for them to surface with our minds, but others, like the sugar-laced victim of last might, almost came with a minute or two after the feeding was completed. But this was by far the longest it had ever taken for the memories to come.

_'Maybe it had something to do with his unusual flavor?' _I thought as I headed back towards the hotel.

Saying hello to the doorman I quickly made my way to the elevator and got in. As I rode up to the fourth floor, I did find it rather odd that I was full after only one human. Usually it took about three to sate our hunger.

_'I never even thought to look for another human_. _Strange._'

Shrugging that thought off as well, the elevator dinged notifying me of my arrival to my floor. I stepped off of the elevator and made my way to our room. The familiar tingling sensation I usually got when the memories hit started at the base of my skull, which _never_ happened. The sensation quickly rushed over me just as I stopped in front of the hotel room. Something was wrong.

_'Oh, this can't be good_,' I thought, and as soon as I raised my arm to knock on the door, the memories crashed over me driving me to my knees.

But these memories were different, because they weren't _memories_, but one lone memory to stand out from all the rest.

And as I fought way my out of it, the last thing I saw was a very familiar set of green eyes, a flash of bronze hair and his scent perfuming the air around me.

I stood up slowly with tears streaming down my eyes, and pounded on the door.

When the door opened widely, I yelled, "Damn you!" and lunged forward.

**A/N: To any and all new readers, please review. I would like to know what you think so far, and please feel free to ask any questions. As to my other readers who have been with me since the original story, feel free to also review and let me know what you think so far. Thanks to Fate Lowe for doing just that.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Glad to see some new people are enjoying my story starring Bella, Edward, and their band of merry vampires. The story is only gonna get better from here, I promise. Please feel free to PM me with any questions regarding any details about my story. There really is A LOT more to it, and I don't want to possibly confuse any of the new readers who have blessed me by reading this. Thanks to Fate Lowe who has been nice enough to become my Beta! I heart you!**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, the gang belongs to Mrs. Meyer, I just like to hang out with them daily.**_

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I tackled Alice as soon as she opened the door, sending usback five feet from the open door, with me straddling her tiny form.

"Damn you Alice Cullen. You knew, and you still sent me after that human, knowing full well what I was going to see. WHY?!" I yelled as I pinned her arms down at her side.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and saw Jasper and Emmett closing in. I whipped my head in their direction and glared at them.

"You two come any closer, and I will rip her hands off!" I said gritting my teeth.

_'Stupid fucking pixie. I should just do it anyways to teach her a lesson.'_

Jasper and Emmett halted their approach and glanced down at my hands that were tightly clamped around Alice's dainty wrists. I knew my knuckles were white, and that Alice's hands were turning white as well from lack of blood flow.

"Alice, what did you do?" Jasper asked.

She turned her head to stare at Jasper then turned back to me.

"I'll tell you what she did. While the three of you were off gallivanting downtown, she told me who I should have for dinner. No big deal right? That's what I thought. What she _failed _to tell me was that this human has been in contact with Edward," I said as Alice and I continued to stare at one another.

I heard Jasper and Emmett hiss at his name.

"Alice, how could you?" Emmett asked.

She turned her head away from my intense glare and looked at the men.

"I did what I had to do," she said softly closing her eyes.

"Excuse me?" I asked leaning down toward her face while applying more pressure to her wrists.

Alice winced slightly and turned to face me again. She sighed and opened her eyes. They were blue. I flinched slightly at seeing her sadness and let up minutely on her wrists. I expected to see arroganceor smugness in her eyes, not sadness.

I let go of her wrists and sat back on my knees. Alice scooted back from under me and started to rub both of her wrists against her legs.

"That must have been some human Bella. I've never felt you that strong before," she said.

Jasper walked over to Alice, kneeling down beside her, and picked up her hands in his. She looked at him and then down quickly. No doubt Jasper was pissed with her, beacuse he had been the one person to stand beside me as I went through the darkest time of my life. He was the one who put me and part of my broken heart back together. I knew he never wanted me to go through something like that again, not if he could help it. Alice knew as well, which was why I was pissed off. Though she only really knew from what Jasper had told her, she hadn't been there to see exactly what it was like for me.

"Don't change the subject Alice. Tell us what you did," Emmett said walking over to me. He lifted me up offof the floor with both his arms under mine. I stood up and swayed a little. I could feel the rage radiating from him.

"Emmett, back up. I don't think it would be a good idea for you to be touching me when you are pissed off. It won't help my mood," I said.

Emmett back away and went to sit on the couch that was placed against the far wall of the room.

I looked down at Alice and Jasper. I knew that Jasper could feel me staring, so he stood up and backed away from Alice. She looked up at me and sighed loudly. I cocked an eyebrow at her, telling her that I was still waiting for an explanation.

"Like I said before, I did what I had to do," she said.

"What does that mean exactly Alice?" Jasper asked crossing his arms.

"It means, that I have been steering Bella towards him for quite some time now," she continued tugging intently at the hem of her shirt. This was something that Alice never did before, this was something that I ususlly did. Like I said before, you spend almost a century with someone, and you pick up a few of their habits.

I started to open my mouth to protest, but closed it as she held up one of her hands to tell me to let her finish.

"I got a vision a couple days ago about you and Edward. You were both together and happy. The force of this vision was so strong, that I searched for the keys that I knew would unlock it from my mind and into reality."

"You had no right to do this Alice," I said.

She looked at me and said, "He's your mate Bella. Our existence is almost pointless without our mates by our sides."

"You forget Alice, that he didn't want me, he walked away from me, so I don't care if he's Robert Pattinson. You still had no right. He hasn't been "by my side" for the past 80 years, and I have been fine without him. You knew what I went through the last time, and what it took for me to get where I am today. I have been content with my life thus far. Why would you want to rip that hole open again?" I asked walking over to Jasper and gently placing my hand in the one that was already extended toward me.

I felt a comforting wave of calmness sweeping into my pores and smiled lazily up at him. He nodded in return and sent that calming wave out into the room blanketing Alice and Emmett with it. I heard them both sigh and watched as Alice stood up, brushing off the back of her clothing.

She looked at me again, and her eyes were her normal topaz and she stepped hesitantly toward me. When I just stared at her she stopped.

"I wasn't trying to rip the hole open again, please believe me. He does want you Bella. You just don't turn off those kinds of feelings for someone, it's not in our nature. Sure you can change those feelings into something else, as you and Jasper have done, but once you find your mate, the bond is unbreakable. And even though you might be content, I know you aren't happy. Jasper has told me many times that he could feel your sadness and your pain every time when embraced one another. Why do you think we haven't been overly affectionate with each other in front of you?" she asked.

I shook my head. I hadn't realized until she had said that, that she and Jasper actually weren't all that affectionate with one another around me. I guess I always thought they had other things to do. I would have never have guessed it was because of me. I hung my head in guilt and felt Jasper squeeze me hand.

"Don't feel guilty Bella. Believe me, we more than make up for it when we are alone," he whispered, and Iheard Alice giggling.

I snapped my head up at his comment and jerked my hand out of his.

"Eww, Jazz. I didn't want to know that, nor the mental picture that is now forming in my head," I said.

I could hear Emmett laughing behind us and turned around to glare at him. He quickly stopped laughing and held his hands up in innocence.

"Sorry," he muttered.

I turned back to Alice who was now standing in front me, looking at me all doe-y eyed.

_'Dammit! I can never stay mad at her when she looks at me like that, and she knows it_.'

I huffed in annoyance and spread my arms wide inviting her to hug me. She pounced on me, squeezing my sides to her tiny frame. I hugged her back and laughed a little. When she stepped away, she trailed a hand down one of my arms and intertwined our fingers. I knew what this meant, this meant it was time for me to spill the beans.

She dragged me over to the couch that Emmett was sitting on and placed me between Emmett and herself. Jasper had followed us over and took a seat in front on me on the coffee table. Emmett placed a strong arm arcoss my shoulders massaging my left shoulder. While Jasper gathered my hands in his, Alice snuggled into my left side. This was the usual position we took when we talked about the memories. Whoever had the worst ones, usually sat in the middle.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, I squared my shoulders and looked up at Jasper. He looked at me with soft eyes and nodded a little, telling me it was time to start.

"Well, it wasn't the _memories_ that sucked this time, it was _the one memory," _I began looking between the three of them.

"One?" Emmett asked.

"Mmhmm. I didn't see every memory he had; I only got the one."

"Well, what was it? I mean, I have visions, but I can't see what our victims are going to show us. For some reason, it has never worked like that," Alice said looking up at me.

Jasper squeezed my hands a little and started rubbing circles with his thumbs.

"The only part I saw..." I began, but Jasper cut me off.

"What do you mean, they only part you saw?" he asked.

'_Shit! I never told them I can shut this stuff off_.'

The only _real _problem was, if I shut it off for too long, like say for a year or two, or five, it tends to backfire, and backfire in a HUGE way. Think of the explosive difference between a hand grenade and an Atomic bomb, only it's with my abilities, and right now, I was a ticking time bomb, which was why I told Emmett to back off when he was so pissed off. If I had let him or any other vampire combine their abilities with my own, they would have magnified twenty-fold, and the results could be catastrophic. I knew if he had touched me any longer, I would have exploded and brought the hotel down around me, and possibly the buildings on either side of it, I wasn't sure.

_'And I don't want to find out!,' _I thought.

"Umm, what I meant to say was," I paused noticing that all three of them had stiffen slightly.

"The only part I remember vividly was of Mike and Edward sitting in a cafe talking. But I wasn't seeing the memory through Mike's eyes, I was seeing them through someone else's, and I don't know who it was, only that whoever it was clearly saw the two of them talking," I finished.

"Hmmm, that is really odd. Has that ever happened to either of you, cause it sure as shit has never happened to me," Emmett asked.

I looked at Jasper and Alice and they both shook their heads.

When I looked back down and closed my eyes, another part of the memory flashed behind them, only this wasn't a part I saw before. I ripped my hands from Jasper and grasped my head in sudden pain.

_**MEMORY FLASH**_

Edward and Mike were exiting the cafe, and stopped in front a car.

"I need you to do something for me Mike," Edward asked.

"Shoot," Mike replied.

"Head on down to Malibu. Be there by 11 pm and go to a bar called 'New Moon', its a shit hole, but when you get there, look for a girl with chestnut brown hair, and her head hung down."

"Why?"

"Just do it, ok? And here, take this, and swallow it," Edward said, placing something in Mike's hand.

"What is this?"

"Just a vitamin C tablet, you look like shit," Edward said laughing and slapping him on his back.

"Right Dr. C," Mike said placing a large white pill in his mouth and swallowing it dryly.

"Well, it's been fun Mike," Edward said extending his hand.

Mike took the outstretched hand and shook it once.

"Yes it has Dr. C., yes it has."

_**END MEMORY FLASH**_

And with that last sentence I was back in the hotel room cradled in Emmett arms still grasping my head.

"Bella?" Alice asked rubbing small circles on my back.

"Well that was weird," I croaked clearing my throat.

"You got that right. We have been talking to you for the past five minutes and you didn't seem to hear a word we said," Jasper said leaning away from me and rubbing the back of his neck.

"So...what _was_ that?" Emmett asked softly.

"A part of the memory I forgot about," I replied.

"Which was?" Alice asked.

I looked right at her and said, "That Edward knew I was going be here Alice. How would he know that?"

I got up from my position of being cradled in Emmett's arms and began pacing the room back and forth. I stopped just behind Jasper and stared at Alice.

"How would he _know_ that Alice?" I asked.

She looked at me dead on and said, "I don't know Bella. I honestly don't know."

Either she was lying or she really didn't know, but I knew someone who would know.

"Jasper?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"She doesn't know Bella," he said looking over his shoulder at me.

"Fine," I said walking back over to the couch and plopped down on Emmett's lap.

"Can we have _fun_ now?" Emmett asked.

I looked down at my watch, noting that it was only 1:30 am and nodded my head in agreement.

The next four hours consisted of us going back out into the night, having our own version of the word "fun". Which was usually spent bar hopping and running around doing all sorts of stupid shit, while snacking in between. Since we didn't want to have to worry about having our "memory confessional" times in public, we only took a little bit from each appealing person we found. Why didn't we do this all the time to save ourselves from mental anguish, you ask? Because snacking isn't as fulfilling as a full blown meal, and it usually left a trail of questions behind, especially when we accidentally took too much blood, and they would find themselves in the hospital receiving a blood transfusion, something we really hated happening, which iswhy we didn't snack all that often.

When I finally noticed the time and could smell the approaching sunrise, we decided to head back to the hotel for the day and catch up on some movies. After stepping off the elevator and walking to our door, all the while laughing and making fun of one another, Jasper stopped when he was within two feet of our door.

"What's up Jazz?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know, just got a weird feeling all of the sudden," he replied.

"Everything is fine Jasper, come on," Alice chirped walking ahead of him and unlocking the door.

Once the door was open and we cleared the entrance, Emmett immediately froze mid sentence.

"What the fu..."

When I turned to look at him, I felt a sharp pain in the exposed side of my neck. Fire licked its way down my spine, and the last thing I remember before hitting the ground was watching Emmett and Jasper struggling with two rather large vampires.

* * *

"Bella..." a velvety voice called.

I felt myself stir. My head felt so heavy; I didn't want to move.

"Bella, open you eyes," the voice said.

"Don't wanna," I heard myself mumble. I honestly didn't. They felt like that had been stapled shut, and I felt like I couldn't open them.

"Bella, please, you must open your eyes," the voice pleaded.

_'I know that voice_.'

"Can't. Feels too heavy," I mumbled again. My voice was becoming clearer.

"Come back me, love," the velvety voice purred.

_'Hell-o. Love_? _Only one person has ever called me that._'

"Edward?" I croaked finally opening my eyes, only to see stone wall in front of me. I looked down and noticed I was lying on side facing a stone wall, with my arms tied behind my back.

"No not Edward, Emmett."

"How long was I out?" I asked rolling onto to my back, then rolled once more so that I was facing the room.

"Not too long," he replied.

I sat up and turned around to take in my surrounding. It was just a plain room, but the walls were madeof old stone. I saw Jasper and Alice huddled together in one corner, and Emmett in the opposite.

"Emmett, did you just call me _love_?" I asked.

"No," he said scrunching his eyebrows in confusion.

I looked at Jasper. "Did you?"

"No Bella. What's wrong?"

I shook my head. I could have sworn I heard Edward's voice. I wasn't imagining things, was I? I twisted my wrists, trying to free myself from the restraints.

"What kind of rope is this?" I asked.

"I don't know, but it smells old and dead," Alice replied.

I continued to strain against the rope that bound my hands together.

"Bella, if _I_ couldn't break these things, then you sure as hell can't," Emmett said.

I thought about that for a second, then looked back him with a devious smile upon my lips.

"Bella, what are you thinking?" Jasper asked noticing my grin.

I gathered my knees under me and stood up, walked over to Emmett, turned around, and sat down on the floor.

"Turn around and hold my hands," I said, looking over my shoulder at him. I waited for him to catch on, as his brows scrunched a moment. Then he relaxed as the same devious grin appeared on his face, as he turned himself around and moved back so that our backs were touching.

"What are you guys up to?" Alice asked sitting away from Jasper and scooting toward us.

I grabbed hold of Emmett's hand and immediately felt the pulsing of his energy seeping into my hands. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, letting blood flow move quickly into my muscles. Hey, we might be dead, but we still have some human chemicals in our bodies. I felt my strength swelling in my arms when Emmett released one of my hands, while still firmly grasping the other. He moved his index finger in between two strands, and curled around it. With only a small tug, the rope snapped and began to fall away from my hands. Still only grasping one my hands, I turned around and with my free hand, I ripped the rope from between his hands.

I stood up and rubbed my wrists.

"Bet the Volturi didn't know we could do that," I boasted walking over to Jasper and Alice.

I squatted in front of Jasper as Emmett made his way over to us rubbing his wrists as well. I wrapped my hands around the rope binding Jasper's hands and extended my hand out to Emmett. He placed his hand in mine and I surged with strength once again. With a small tug again, the rope snapped and fell away. We repeated the process again on Alice as Jasper scanned the walls surrounding us.

"Any luck?" I asked watching him test each stone for weakness. Emmett had joined him in the scanning process.

"I'll let you know," he replied and continued to scan.

Leaning against the wall, I suddenly realized something.

"Alice, why didn't you see this coming?" I asked.

"Huh?" she asked head snapping in my direction.

"Why didn't you see this coming?" I asked again.

"I don't know. That does sound rather odd, doesn't it? I mean, I usually get little visions here and there, but when we went out tonight, I didn't get a single one," she replied.

I looked at her for a second and then realization flashed in my eyes.

"I know why," I whispered.

"What?" Emmett asked turning around to face me.

"I know why she didn't get any visions," I said.

Jasper stopped and turned around to face me. I looked up at him and saw an odd expression of his face. It looked like a warning of some sort.

_'Oh God, I_ really _don't want to have to tell them this, it will only put them in more danger_,' I thought.

I turned to see Alice coming over and sitting next to me.

"What are you talking about Bella?" she asked.

_'Here's go nothing_.'

"There's something I need to tell you guys about me," I started.

Emmett moved forward and said, "Go on."

"You know how you guys refer to me as the "most powerful vampire" in existence?" I asked softly looking down at my lap.

"Yeah," Alice said.

"Well, I have a certain......ability. And this ability does make me in fact, the most powerful vampire in existence," I said looking at her.

"And this certain ability would be what exactly?" Emmett asked.

I looked up at him and noted the curiosity peaking in his eyes. Looking over his shoulder at Jasper, I saw that he was leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets, not looking at me. I searched his face, and when he looked up at me, I knew that he knew my secret.

"Son of a bitch," I muttered.

His eyes widened at me and I knew he knew I had caught on. He pushed away from the wall and stood there staring me.

"You know don't you?" I asked standing up.

He only nodded; his eyes never leaving mine.

"Know what?" Alice asked.

"Since when?" I asked inching toward him.

"81 years," he replied softly hanging his head down.

"Know what?" Emmett asked standing up.

Both of us completely ignored the other two vampires in the room.

"81 years? Then that would mean..." I trailed off stopping just a foot from him as he looked up and his gaze snapped to mine.

It was his eyes that told me what I had I been waiting 81 long years to know. The _real_ reason why Edward left me. That's why _he_ was the one that took care me for a decade. But why? Had Edward known about my ability then? He couldn't have, he had never been able to read my thoughts. This didn't make any since to me. Did he feel like he owed me for letting Edward walk out of my life? I needed answers.

I reached back with my right hand and slapped him as hard as I could. The echo bounced off the walls.

"You knew! You son of a bitch! You let him walk out of my life. You could have stopped him!" I yelled.

_'I could have been happy_,' and with that thought I attacked him, and he just stood there and took it.

"Whoa Bella!" Emmett yelled pulling me by my waist away from Jasper. I was still swinging my arms in Jasper's direction as Alice walked wide around me and Emmett **(so) **as to not get accidentally hit by my ever swinging arms. She cradled his head in her hands and looked him.

"Jasper, what's going on?" she whispered.

Jasper looked at me while Emmett struggled to hold me. I would have broken free from him, but one look into his blue eyes, and I calmed down. Emmett slowly released me, but kept a firm grip on my shoulders.

"She's right," Jasper whispered still looking at me.

"Right about what?" Alice whispered back.

"I did let Edward walk out of her life."

Alice looked back at me, dropping her hands from Jasper's face, her own eyes turning blue.

"Why?" I asked in a calm voice.

"Because I made a promise, and it was one I couldn't break," he replied.

Jacob's words echoed in my head, "_Sorry Bella, but this was one promise I made that I can't break_."

"Jacob?" I asked.

He nodded in response.

"Alright guys. What the fuck is going on?" Emmett asked from behind me.

I looked back at Jasper and he nodded again signaling me to go ahead and tell them.

"I can shut off my abilities and essentially my vampiric nature in a way," I said.

"What?" Alice asked softly turning her head toward me.

"That's why you didn't get any visions Alice. We were holding hands the entire time we were gallivanting around, and you know we can combine our powers," I replied.

Emmett released his grip on my shoulders and came around to stand in front of me.

"Why didn't you tell us?" he asked.

"I never told anyone. Honestly, I don't even know how Jasper or Jacob knew."

"Edward told us," Jasper said.

**A/N: **_**Want me to continue on?**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Ok, I added a new scene to this chapter, because it needed to be lengthened. So, for those of you who wanted to know what happened the night Emmett came back, you will read it here. This scene is super long, so I hope you guys enjoy it! Again, thank you to Fate Lowe and her awesome Beta skills! **_

_**Disclaimer: The gang still belongs to Mrs. Meyer, they are just staying with me for the week.**_

* * *

My jaw must have become unhinged, cause I know it was surely on the floor below me. I just stood there wide-eyed and speechless as Jasper repeated the same sentence again..

"Edward told us."

_'Not possible_,' I thought.

I was shaking my head at his words, because they simply _couldn't_ be true. I was a human when Edward and I were together. I know from many a vampire, that we carry over certain abilities or powers into our undead existence, and from what my three companions had told me about it, it made so much sense. Edward could never hear my thoughts, I was a mental mute to him, and though it frustrated him to no end, I was always glad that I was safe behind my shield. That's what Jasper told me it was. But, my being able to combine my powers with others, and enhance them twenty-fold was only discovered the night I met Emmett. My _other _ability, and the most important one, was discovered five years after I had changed, and I had kept it a secret ever since. I was able to shut off my natural vampire instincts, to a certain extent. As far as I know, I am able to completely change my eye color back to my human color, which was a chocolate brown, I can raise my body temperature a couple of degrees, tone down my alluring vampire scent, and, actually turn off my blood lust completely, though not for an extended amount of time. From the outside observer, I would essentially _look and smell_ like any other human. How Edward had even found out was beyond me. Hell, I didn't even know until I was five years dead; how the hell did he know _before_ I did?

I cleared my throat and looked at Alice and Jasper both.

"That's not possible," I said.

Emmett turned his attention back to me and asked, "How so?"

"Cause I didn't even know until I was five years dead. There is no way Edward could have known that," I replied.

"But how does that explain why I didn't get any visions?" Alice asked.

"It will be easier if I explained in more detail about the night when I first met Emmett, the night he came back," I said.

**FLASHBACK**

I knew something was off the moment I left our apartment in search of my first meal. As I cleared the front doorway I was slapped in the face by a foreign scent. A scent that was carried in on a strong southern wind, and the air around me had an odd electrical charge to it. Something was definitely off, and I decided I needed to be on my guard and look out for anything or anyone that was out of place.

As I made my way to my usual feeding ground, a bar named Twilight, the electrical charge grew in its intensity, and the scent grew stronger as well. The closer I got to the bar, the stronger the two grew and as I placed my hand on the door handle to open the door, I suddenly found myself flying back through the air. I landed ten feet back on the ground with an "Omph!"

_'Well that's gonna leave a mark_,' I thought as I closed my eyes and sat up.

I rubbed the back of my head as I heard footsteps coming closer to me. The strange scent came with those footsteps and I opened my eyes to see a rather large male vampire standing over me.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I shook my head and stared blankly at his face. Curiosity and amusement was written all over it, and it pissed me off slightly.

"You think this is funny? If I had been human, you could have killed me, or at the very least knocked me unconscious," I spat.

The vampire just smiled. "Well, it's a good thing you aren't human then, isn't it?"

"I guess," I said as I rolled my eyes.

"I'm Emmett by the way," he said as he extended a hand to me.

_'Emmett, hmm, that name sounds familiar_,' I thought, but dismissed it immediately as I stared at his hand.

I took his extended hand and he pulled me to feet a little more quickly than I was used to and I crashed in his chest. Saying that I crashed into a brick wall wouldn't have been accurate, seeing how I could easily walk through a brick wall if I wanted to, but Emmett's body was hard and unyielding.

"If you wanted me that badly, all you had to do was ask," Emmett laughed.

I huffed in annoyance and pushed him back from me. "Over my pile of ashes asshat!"

"Hey now. No need to get rude, I was just joking with you."

"Nice to know. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get on with my evening and get something to eat," I said as I started to move passed him. I felt him stiffen when I brushed his shoulder and heard him inhale through his nose.

"Jasper," Emmett whispered.

That stopped me.

"Excuse me?" I asked turning to face him.

"You smell like my brother Jasper."

My jaw dropped. _'Brother?'_

"Again, excuse me?" I asked.

"Are you Bella?" Emmett asked tilting his head to the side.

"Huh? How the fuck did you know my name?" I asked crossing my arms across my chest.

"Whoa, calm down. Alice told me about you," he replied.

"Alice?" I asked, my voice sounding weak.

"Jasper's mate? Ring any bells, Bells?" he laughed, and rather loudly.

"Ha ha, very funny. Now explain how you know my family?"

"Your family? Sugar, they were my family long before you were even born, human or vampire."

"Care to elaborate on that one, _Sugar_?" I asked sarcastically.

After walking to a nearbybench to sit down, he did. He explained to me how he came to be how he was now, starting with the bear attack that nearly killed him, to Rosalie finding him and bringing him to Carlisle, the years he spent with the family, long before I was even born. He told me about all the times that he, Jasper, and Edward all horsed around when they went on hunting trips, all the schools they attended. When he first mentioned Edward's name I visibly flinched, but he didn't pay much mind to it. He went on as he explained about meeting his singer, and how he hadn't even hesitated in killing her. That brought on a whole different range of emotions for me, but I covered them up with a blank stare and a lot of rapid blinking. I would be damned if I was going to cry. He went on further about how ashamed he felt after he killed her, and how he felt that he let down everyone in his moment of weakness for her blood, and vowed that he would only return when his guilt left him.

"Thiry-five years, though? Isn't that a little long to feel guilty over killing one human being? We kill humans all the time," I said placing my hand on his left shoulder.

"You don't get it Bella. I killed her in front of a whole mass of people. I exposed us. I left my family to clean up the mess I had created. I left so that the humans wouldn't become suspicious of them." Emmett said softly.

"Oh," was all I said. I knew what he meant then. Humans are delightfully unware of our existence and we planned to keep it that way, but Emmett broke the cardinal rule of exposure when he killed his singer in front of those people. So, he took his punishment out on himself and left. Left behind his family and his mate, because he couldn't bare what he had done.

"So where's Rosalie now?" I asked.

"In Alaska staying with the Denali coven. Carilisle and Esme joined her recently up there; I saw them on my way down here."

"I miss them," I said softly, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"I do too, but they told me they wanted to spend some time withe the Denali coven, because they hadn't seen them since Edward left."

I flinched at hearing Edward's name, and this time Emmett noticed it.

"So it is true? My little brother really did leave you when you were human?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's not something I want to discuss, so let's drop it."

"No problem. Now, all this talking has made me hungry again, let's say we go grab someone to eat, yes?" he asked standing up from the bench.

"Sounds good to me," I said following suit.

As we made our way back to the bar and both grabbed our donors for the evening and snacked, I could still feel that odd electrical charge in the air. It was beginning to unnerve me, so as we left our donors on the ground - still alive and breathing mind you - I asked Emmett if he could feel anything different in the air, but he just shook his head. We walked around the streets talking about anything and everything we could think of, but as we approached the downtown district, Emmett stopped me by placing his arm across my chest halting me from going any further.

"What?" I asked looking up at him. Emmett sniffed the air and shuddered slightly. "You know how you asked if I felt anything in the air?" he asked scanning the area around us.

"Yeah."

"I feel it now. Wait here."

Emmett walked on ahead of me and looked around. With his back facing me, I felt the electrical charge amplify again, reaching a higher level. Something or someone bad was coming. A vampire I had never encountered before. Emmett turned and faced me, but as he made his way back to me, I saw him drop to the ground like a ton of bricks, grabbing his head and screaming.

"Fuck!" Emmett yelled.

"Emmett!" I screamed running full tilt toward his writhing figure. I had never seen a vampire drop like that before, so I wasn't sure what do it. I knelt down next to him and waved my hands in his face trying to gain his attention.

"Emmett, what the fuck is going on? What can I do?" I asked, searching frantically around me for the source of this attack.

"Jane..." Emmett whispered, grabbing his head even tighter. By the looks of it, it almost looked like he was going to squish his head.

"Who?" I asked. Who the fuck was Jane? What did she have to do with any of this?

"Volturi," he whispered between gasps.

"Shit!" I said. I had heard of them before, but had never met any of them.

I looked around once more, still not seeing anyone. "Alright Emmett, stay here. I'm gonna go look around," I said placing my hand on his shoulder, looking around once more. I was about to stand up when I noticed that Emmett had grown quiet. I turned my head back to him and saw him blinking up at me utterly calm and silent. I retractedmy hand and he began to scream again, so I placed my hand once more on his shoulder and he became silent again.

_'Ok, what's going on?' _I thought.

"Are you ok?" I asked softly.

Emmett grabbed my hand from his shoulder and intertwined our fingers together, and as soon as our skin touched, I felt a jolt of adrenaline surge through my system.

_'This is new_,' I thought.

Emmett stood up with our hands still clasped together and the adrenaline surged even more.

"Holy shit!" I gasped. "What are you, Superman?"

Emmett smirked. "Nah, I just have more strength than the average vampire. My strength is closer to a newborns."

"Are you kidding me? I feel like I am one! Hell, I haven't felt strength like this sinceI _was_ a newborn."

"Come to think of it, so do I." Emmett said.

A growl echoed off the top of a building across the street and Emmett and I snapped our heads in its direction. A figure was hunched over the ledge covered in shadows, and Emmett growled in response.

"What Emmett?" I asked looking up at the shadowed figure across the street.

"Wanna test this thing we got going on?" he asked smirking again.

"Oh hells yeah!" I said giving him a smirk of my own.

We ran across the street and as soon as our feet hit the curb we jumped skyward.

_'Wow!'_

We landed on the rooftop with a sound like a thunder-clap and the concrete underneath our feet splintered and cracked, caving in creating a large dent.

"Holy fuck!" Emmett boomed.

"My thoughts exactly," I said looking down at the craved in concrete.

We walked over crumbled rooftop and Emmett stopped. I stopped next to him and followed his line of sight. There in front of us stood a small female vampire. She was the same size as Alice, but with short trimmed pale brown hair.

"Jane," Emmett seethed.

"Hello Emmett," she said. Even her voice reminded me of Alice.

"What are you doing here?" Emmett asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm here to collect Bella of course, but you seem to have gotten in my way," she pouted.

My eyebrows shot up. "Me?"

"Yes. Aro wants you my dear. You will make a wonderful addition to our guard. He has always wanted a mental shield, and now that I see you can shield others with touch, he will want you even more so!" Jane said smiling largely.

"Not gonna happen Jane," Emmett growled.

"It matters not, Emmett. I will return without Bella, but with knowledge of how powerful she _really_ is."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I inquired..

"Silly Bella, you are stronger than you realize. Just look at what the two of you have done to this rooftop. You nearly collapsed the building when you landed on it. I was standing right where I am now, and when the two of you landed, it felt like an 8.0 on the Richter scale."

_'Huh?'_

"Don't you see?" she asked sweetly. I looked back at the crater that our landing had created. The concrete that surrounded the edges was starting to crack outward.

"I guess we don't know our own strength?" I asked.

"Don't act dumb Bella; Aro hates that. But, he will love to learn that you can merge and magnify others' powers with your own," Jane said.

"How do you know that's what is happening?" Emmett asked drawing me into his side.

"Because Emmett, I have seen this happen only once before in my long life. Aro will be most pleased!" she said smiling largely again.

_'This little bitch is getting on my nerves! There's no way I am going with her to meet this Aro guy. We'll just have to make sure she doesn't go back!' _I thought wickedly.

I looked up at Emmett as he glared at Jane's smiling form and gave his hand a small squeeze. Emmett looked down at me and noticed the devious grin that I plastered over my face. I tilted slightly toward Jane and Emmett grinned back, just as deviously as my own.

We looked back at Jane - who was still smiling at us - both with devious grins. She blinked for a second and we pounced on her.

Our bodies collided withhers sending all three of us into the already cracked the rooftop. The concrete gave under our weight and force and we fell through like a hot knife going through butter. We lay stunned for a moment as concrete dust showered over our heads. The adrenaline I was feeling before started to ebb and I looked down to see that our hands were no longer clasped together. A groaning sound came from above us and Emmett and I looked up to see the ceiling cracking and splintering. I felt Jane's small body wriggle under mine and I looked down at her just as she moved out from under me. Large chunks of concrete started to fall around us, shaking the level of the building we were on, and I saw Jane starting to run toward a doorway.

"Emmett!"

Emmett quickly looked down at me and then to Jane's retreating form.

"We can't let her get back to Aro. He can't know what you can do!" he shouted pulling me upby his hand as he stood. Once again, adrenaline surged through me as his skin came in contact with mine own.

_'God this is awesome!'_

Emmett and I ran after Jane as shegrew closer and closer to her exit. When Emmett was within arms reach, his free arm shot out to grab her shirt collar, but she ducked her head and cleared the doorway, sending Emmett's arm through the doorjamb and wall creating a hole large enough to us to run through. My shoulder clipped the edge of the hole and the drywall gave against me and fell away. We cleared the hole to see Jane running full tilt down the hallway. I could see up ahead of her running figure and knew she was going to go for the stairs at the end of the hallway.

I moved ahead of Emmett and started pulling him behind me as I pushed my legs to go faster. Jane quickened her pace ahead of me, but Emmett and I were gaining on her and I was not about to let her get away. She hestitated for a second, then pushed her shoulder into the door containing the stairs and disappeared from my sight.

"Emmett! Wall! Crash through it!" I yelled. Emmett changed positions with me as we neared the wall next to the staircase door.

"Jump on Bella and duck your head!" he yelled. I hopped onto Emmett's back and ducked my head into his shoulder blades just as he twisted his body and shoved his left shoulder through the wall. The drywall and plaster gave way to our barreling forms as we crashed through the wall. I felt us hit the stairs, but we just went straight through them. More groaning sounds came from all around us as I looked up from Emmett's shoulders to see the concrete stairs above us crumbling down. I looked down as we continued to fall through platform after platform of stairs, just in time to see Jane's figure come into view. She had hoped over the railing and was falling through the center of the surrounding staircase.

"Emmett, grab her"! I yelled around the sound of concrete smashing against concrete.

The walls encasing the stairs were starting to crack and chip in the wake of our destruction. Jane landed five seconds before Emmett's feet touched the ground level and she took off into dead sprint away through the ground level door, away from us and the building. We landed with another thunder-clap sound as the sounds of the building comingdown above echoed off the walls. I looked up to see pieces of concrete stairs approaching us fast.

"Emmett move!" I yelled.

Emmett propelled us up and out of a larger crater than we created on the rooftop and sprinted after Jane. By the time wecleared the door, Jane was no where in sight.

"Fuck!" Emmett yelled, letting me down off his back.

The ground around us was shaking and I looked back at the building behind us. The front of it was quivering and cracks grew out of no where all over its brick surface. The windows were breaking out and the sound of glass falling to the sidewalk echoed off the surrounding buildings. I pulled on the sleeve of Emmett's shirt to get his attention as I looked on to shock.

"What Bella?" he barked as he turned around and looked down at me.

"Look," I gasped as more of the building came crashing down in front of us.

Emmett followed my arm as I pointed to the building crumbling before my eyes.

"Mother Fucker!" he gasped.

Within as matter of minutes, a wave of concrete and plaster dust engulfed Emmett and I, partially blinding us. We coughed and waved our hands infront of us to clear the air. When the air did clear, the only thing we saw were the destroyed remains of the building that once stood. We looked at each other, both of us with shocked expressions on our faces.

"Opps?" I asked.

**END FLASHBACK**

"So that's why you were in such a rush to move that night, Bella?" Jasper asked chuckling.

Emmett and I looked at each other and both broke intosoft laughter while nodding our heads.

I finally composed myself and looked back at Jasper. A dozen emotions seem to fly across his face as he stared at me.

"How did he know Jasper?" I asked.

Jasper blinked a couple of times and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I really can't tell you that," he replied.

"And why not?" I asked crossing my arms.

"I told you, it's a promise I cannot break," he said flatly.

"Well, break it for me," I said.

Jasper shook his head and said, "There is only person who can tell you what this promise is."

"And that person would be?" I asked. Jasper just stared at me, willing me to understand who he was talking about.

_'Oh, Edward! Duh_!' I thought. Jasper nodded, apparently he understood my sudden change in mood.

We continued to stare at one another for a short span of time, Emmett was whipping his head back and forth between us, and it wasn't until Jasper gasped that we blinked.

Alice's small hand was basically crushing his right arm where she was clutching it. Emmett walked up to her and started to pry her fingers off of him, only to have her latch on to his.

"Shit!" he swore.

Jasper looked back at me for a second and I just shrugged. I had seen Alice have visions so many times before that were more intense than this one, that her reactions didn't faze me. What did faze me what the frantic look in her eyes when they finally trained on my face. All the color had drained from her face as she stared at me. I didn't understand what I was seeing while I looked at her. There was just a panic to her usual beautiful features, and actually, I don't think I had _ever_ seen her look this scared before.

"Alice, what did you see?" Emmett asked softly as she released her grip from his hands.

She blinked at me and looked at Emmett, while Jasper and I stared at one another. I knew he could feel her fear, hell I could basically smell it perfuming the air, taste it on my tongue, like I could with humans. Something bad was gonna happen, something huge, and I was gonna take a huge leap, and guess that it centered around me.

_'So what else is knew_?'

"Bella.......Volturi.....blood, lots of blood," she mumbled.

"Can we prevent it?" Emmett asked rubbing his wrist.

"No," she whispered shaking her head.

_'Didn't think so_.'

Emmett walked over to me and pulled me into him, wrapping both arms around me. I hugged him back only to appease him. I knew this would eventually happen, that one day they would find me, and I would be shipped off to a lab, only to be subjected to many a blood test. I wasn't afraid of what would happen to me, but of what would happen to those I loved, if I didn't agree to go with them. I would bare any pain or torture, they would no doubt put me through, to save them.

"It's alright Emmett. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," I said pulling back to look up at him.

Emmett looked down at me with blue eyes, and a pained expression upon his face. I felt Alice's tiny hands encircle my waist as she molded herself to my left side, and felt Jasper's hand on my right shoulder. I looked at him and saw exactly what I had seen on Emmett's face, a pained expression. I smiled slightly at him to appease him too.

"You really aren't afraid, are you?" he asked softly smoothing my hair behind my shoulder.

"No." And with that Jasper pressed his body against mine and wrapped his arms around all three of us. There was no overly tight squeezing this time, just a comforting embrace between the four of us. Alice silently sobbed against me, as even more silent tears slowly fell from my eyes.

"Do you know what they are going to do?" Jasper asked, whispering in to my hair.

"I have a pretty good idea," I replied.

"And what's that?" Emmett asked.

"Nothing you guys need to worry about. I would gladly take any amount of pain for any one of you, you know that," I said.

"Bella, you won't have to. Me and you could totally take these guys out, " Emmett said chuckling.

I laughed as well, because we probably could, but I didn't want them knowing I combine my powers with others, nor magnify said powers. And thenIthought of something that could possibly damn me further.

"Oh shit! Jane," I said pulling away slightly from them. Alice moved around me and pressed her body against Jasper's. He removed am arm from me and encircled her tiny form, kissing her head.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"Jane was the one that we went after. I know she told Aro about me. I don't know if she knows about me being able to shut off my instincts, but she knows that I can magnify others powers. She witnessed that herself." I said.

"Shit!" Emmett yelled.

"Emmett calm down, no use getting upset over this. There is nothing we can do about it," Jasper said as he blanketed us with a wave of calm.

"Fuck you Jasper! I don't want to be calm right now," Emmett protested.

I moved closer to Emmett again and hugged him once more. I could feel the tension in his body. "Shhhh, Emmett. Don't worry about me. I know what to do," I said.

Raising his arms around my shoulders, I felt the tension in his bulky form start to ebb, finally giving into to the emotion Jasper was still giving all of us. Alice and Jasper moved into us again, and hugged us both. We stayed like this for sometime, cherishing the embrace, that might be our last. A dozen kisses were placed in my hair, on my temples, my cheeks, and I basked in it all. If this was going to be my last time with my family, then I would take what I could get.

Alice stiffened slightly and pulled away from us. "In two minutes they are going to come through that door, and when they do, none of us can move. Trust me when I say this, do not try to fight them," she said the last part looking at Emmett.

"Am I really _that_ bad?" Emmett whined.

"Yes!" the three of us said in unison.

"Jasper, this may be your last chance to show her, so go ahead," Alice whispered looking at me.

"Show me what?" I asked slightly confused.

Jasper walked over to me and cupped my head in between his hands. "This," he whispered as he lowered his lips upon mine.

The kiss never became more, just a soft press of his lips against mine. It wasn't a kiss you would give your lover, but one you would give your beloved. A kiss to show them just how much they meant to you and you to them. I felt him pour all the love he ever had for me into that kiss as I raised my hands to his to keep them pressed against my cheeks. Tears fell from my eyes as he moved back to press his forehead against mine, still cupping my cheeks. "I love you Bella," he breathed.

"I love you too, Jasper. You healed a part of me that I never thought could be healed. No matter what happens, you will always have a place in my heart," I whispered.

"And you will always have a place in mine," he said.

Emmett and Alice once again came to our sides and we embraced each other one last time.

_'Please, don't let this be the last time_,' I thought.

"Hate to interrupt this little Kodak moment, but Bella has a date with fate," A voice called from the doorway.

* * *

_**A/N: Want another chapter? Review please!!!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter, but seeing as I only got one review, I'm not sure.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**_

* * *

The four of us snapped our heads up in direction of the voice. There in the doorway stood Demetri. A vampire whose tracking ability was far greater than James' ever was. I could feel the growl rumbling from Emmett's chest. I looked up at him as he continued to stare at Demetri. I pressed my hand against the side of his face and pulled to make himlook at me. Staring into his eyes; I shook my head.

"No Emmett, that's just what he wants. Remember what Alice said," I whispered. He nodded slowly and even smiled a little.

"No, please, whatever you were going to do, please do it. I would love to have an excuse to execute all of you," Demetri said.

Emmett pushed me behind him and faced the vampire in the doorway. Jasper and Alice moved up to either side of Emmett, effectively making a wall between me, and my date with death. I watched over Alice's shoulders as the four of them began their staring contest. Nobody moved, nobody breathed, and the tension was so thick I almost gaged on it.

It seemed like sometime passed before Demetri broke the silence. "Come now Bella, you know we only want you. Aro has been dying to get his hands on you for quite some time now. We won't harm your little coven; we have other plans that include them."

"You're not gonna...." Emmett started but I cut him off as I pushed my way through the wall of their bodies and turned to face them.

"Emmett, we talked about this. I'll be ok," I said softly. He looked down at mewith pleading eyes, begging me not to go with Demetri. I knew I had to save them from whatever they had planned. I was willing to sell my soul and tell all my secrets, if it would only keep my family alive.

"That's a good girl. Now, hurry along, we don't want to keep Aro waiting any longer," Demetri said from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder at him and glared. "If he's waited this long, he can wait another two minutes." Demetri nodded and stood silently as I said what I hoped wouldn't be my final goodbyes to my family.

After many tears on my part, growls from both Jasper and Emmett, Alice clinging to me as if I would disappear, Demetri grabbed my arm and yanked me from the room. As he shut and locked the door behind us, I could hear Alice yelling, "Bella, I love you, never forget that. I _will_ find a way to get us out of here!" I ran back to the locked door and pressed myself against it. "Alice, don't worry about me, just get yourselves out of here," I said through the door. I could feel Demetri standing behind me, but at that moment I didn't care, there was just one more thing I had to say, then they could kill me six ways till Sunday, and I would die happy. I inhaled deeply, and prepared myself to say the words I hadn't said a loud in 80 years.

"Alice, _when_ you find Edward, tell him I love him. I have always loved him. You were right, from the very beginning. I knew it from the day we met, he is my mate, and I will love him until my last breath. Promise me Alice. Promise me you will tell him," I exhaled. I could hear her sobbing even through the thick door. Her reply came weak, and broken, but I heard an edge to, that I know Demetri wouldn't pick up on, "I promise."

"Alright, I have given you enough time. Let's go," Demetri said pulling me away from the door and leading me down the hallway. His grip was tight around my upper left arm as he dragged me along beside him.

"I said I would go willingly. No need to get hostile with me Demetri," I said ripping my arm from his. He quickly snatched it back, but his grip was less tight than it was before. "That may be true, Bella, but you don't know where to go, so I must lead you."

The rest of our way was in silence, as he steered me through the hallways, and down three flights of steps. When we approached two large wooden doors, he let go of my arm, and knocked twice.

"Enter," a voice called from within.

Demetri grabbed the door knob, twisting it, and pushed the door inwards. He made a sweeping gesture with his hands saying, "After you."

I walked in to the room and stopped as my eyes immediately fell to the center of the room. There sat Aro, a vampire I had only seen once from one of Alice's visions, sitting in a chair much like a throne. Demetri had walked in behind me closing the door.

_'Like your so high and mighty. Pfftt, mighty my undead ass_,' I thought.

"Welcome Bella. I trust your journey was pleasant," he inquired.

I walked further into the room, sweeping my eyes over every surface, until finally landing back on Aro's face. "Not really, but I can't complain, you'll just kill me slower. Why bother?" I asked sarcastically.

"The exact opposite, actually. We never planned on killing you; we merely plan to observe you," he replied almost sweetly.

"Yeah, meaning you want me to be your lab rat," I said.

"Something like that," Demetri said sweeping by me and moving over to stand on Aro's right side.

"Oh dear Bella, you're here to help answer some questions for me," Aro said standing up.

"Oh yeah? And what might those questions be?" I asked crossing my arms in front of me.

"Well, you see Bella, the night we sent Jane to retrieve you from your coven, something rather odd happened." he replied walking toward me.

I cocked an eyebrow at him and waiting for him to continue. He stopped in front of me, but turned and started pacing back and forth.

"When she returned, she remembered nothing of her visit. When I mentioned your name to her, she kept repeating that she had no idea who you were. So I took the liberty to search through her mind. And do you know what I found, dear Bella?" he asked pausing in front of me.

"Umm...I'll try door number one, and say, no."

"Nothing. I found nothing. Not single memory. Almost as if that entire day had been wiped from her memory, and every thought that revolved around you as well."

_'Hmmm, interesting. But did this dill-hole actually think_ I _had something to do with this? Yep, by the look he's giving me now, that answer is yes," _I thought.

"And you think that has something to do with me?" I asked.

"Well, you or someone in your coven," Demetri answered. Aro looked over his shoulder and stared at Demetri. After Demetri nodded, Aro returned his gaze to my face.

"I highly doubt it was one of the other vampires in your life. It's a rarity to gain more than one ability after ones' change. But, I think you might be the exception to that rule Bella," he stated.

"How so?" I asked.

"Because I sent someone there after Jane returned. They were sent there to research, and find out what happened. When they returned, they had some pretty interesting information for me. "

"And that would be?" I asked dumbly.

"An entire building reduced to nothing but rubble. The building was located in the exact city block that Demetri said you would be located in," he replied.

I flicked my gaze between both vampires, shrugged my shoulders, and asked, "So?"

"And what about your restraints Bella? How did you and your coven manage to remove them? I assure you, no vampire has _ever_ been able to break that rope."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said calmly.

"Don't play dumb Bella, it doesn't suit you. But to answer your first question, you know very well, that no _lone_ vampire can do the type of damage that Demetri has described to me. Sure they could knock a few holes in some buildings, but not _flatten _them," he said matter-of-factly.

"Look, if you have a point, I suggest you get to it. I'm getting bored," I said feigning a yawn.

Suddenly my neck snapped to my left, and a throbbing sensation burst across my right cheek, and at the corner of my mouth. I licked the inside of my lip, and tasted blood. I hadn't even seen Aro pull his hand back, nor had I seen it when he slapped me across the face, but I sure as hell _felt_ it. I moved my head back to stare at him, rubbing my cheek.

"I have tolerated your attitude long enough!" he yelled.

I spat the excess blood that had pooled in my mouth at his feet, and wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," I said through clinched teeth.

"Your shield might be able to protect you from mental attacks my dear Bella, but not physical ones. I assure you, what we have planned for you will be all physical," he said, and with a snap of his fingers a door opened in the rear of the room, and two rather large vampires stepped through. Even though, I had never seen them before, they seemed oddly familiar.

"Felix, Caius, say hello to Bella, _again_," Aro said.

_'Oh, that's right. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb were the ones that attacked before.' _

Felix and Caius moved to either side of Aro, and stood there as if awaiting further instructions.

"Take Bella here to the torture room, and get her situated. I will be along shortly with Jane and Alec," he said. The vampires nodded at this, and moved toward me, each grabbing an arm, and slightly lifting me off the ground.

"No need to get rough boys; I told Demetri I would go along willingly, and I don't plan to resist now," I said.

"Oh, but you will if you knew what we were going to do to you," Demetri countered, and nodded at Caius.

Another familiar sharp pain hit my neck, and I immediately began to go limp in their arms. I pulled my head up the best I could and asked, "What is this shit?"

Aro walked up to me and lifted my chin with his finger. "The humans have become very useful to us in the past thirty years. They have created such wonderful toys for us to play with, and you my dear Bella, will see soon enough," he said kissing my forehead. I couldn't even cringe away, though I wanted to very badly. No memory came to me the moment his lips touched my skin, only darkness as I breathed, "Edward."

Then.....nothing.

* * *

"Bella," a velvety voice called.

_'I remember this feeling, and that voice. Mmmm, Edward.'_

"Yes Bella, love. Open your eyes," he called again.

_'Can't...too heavy. Want to stay and hear your voice_,' I thought.

"You can't Bella, you have to open your eyes."

_'I didn't say that out loud. Can you hear me?' _

"Yes Bella," he said.

"Edward!" I gasped sitting up quickly.

_'Ugh, that hurt. Note to self, don't do that again_,' I thought.

I tried to grab my head at the sudden pain, but my arms wouldn't move. I blinked several times, trying to move my heavy lids, and eventually got them to open fully, but my vision was somewhat clouded.

"What did they give me?" I asked, my voice was very hoarse.

"A drug similar to Valium actually," a voice replied.

_'That voice sounds familiar too,'_ I thought.

"Huh?" I asked whipping my head in the direction of the voice, and there stood Jane.

"Well, essentially, it is Valium, but it's been manufactured specifically for vampires. My name is Jane," she said.

"I know," I said trying to move my arms.

"Yeah, Aro told me about that. I still don't remember exactly, but oh well. And you can stop trying to get out of your restraints, you can't break them," she said with a smirk on her face.

_'Wanna bet?' _I thought.

I gave up and sat back against the chair I was sitting in. The cloudy haze had finally cleared my vision and I looked around the room to notice it resembled a doctor's office. There were many tables and counters, all with medical supplies strewn across the tops. I looked down at my arms and found the exact same rope that had already been tied around my hands once tonight tied around them again. When I looked up, Jane was walking around the room setting out trays, bunches of gauze, cutting tools, and various sizes of needles.

"What is this stuff made out of?" I asked.

Jane finished setting down a tray full or scalpels. She looked at me blankly and said, "Out of vampire skin."

"What?"

The door swung open and in stepped Aro and another vampire. "What did you think we did with bad little vampires Bella?" Aro asked closing the door behind them. I shrugged my shoulders as they walked toward me, stopping a few feet away. Gesturing to the vampire beside him, Aro said, "This is Alec. He will be helping Jane and I in our observation today."

"Pleasure to meet you Bella," Alec said.

"Pleasure?" I snorted.

"Now, now Bella. I thought you said you would cooperate?" Aro asked.

"I did, but I never said I was going to actually be nice and tell what I don't know," I lied.

"Oh? We have ways of making you talk," Aro said nodding at Jane.

Jane came forward with a scapel, and positioned it at my left forearm. I looked at her and then at the scalpel and laughed. "You honestly think that little blade is going to cut through my skin?" Jane stared at me as she ran blade slowly across my arm. White hot heat flared under my skin as the blade bit into my skin. I hissed, suddenly realizing that this blade was in fact _cutting through_ my granite skin. I inhaled deeply through the pain and held my breath.

_'Shit, that hurts_!' my mind screamed. I looked down at my arm and saw the blood welling up through the wound. I gasped as Jane repeated the same process on my other arm.

"Fuck!" I yelled. I began panting as the pain began to lick its way up my arm, before it stopped at the bend of my elbow and pulsed. My blood was running in a steady stream from both wounds and I could hear to drip onto the floor.

"How....is...this..possible?" I panted. The blood seemed to flow more as a wave a fear washed over me, but it was not _my_ fear. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the feeling; Jasper was close by, though I wasn't sure how close. Alice must have been seeing this happen and was giving him a play by play of sorts, and he must have been afraid that they might not reach me in time.

_'How the hell had they gotten out of that room?'_

"Simple. I told you the humans have been helpful to us. They have created a way for us to channel our mental abilities into physical ones," Aro said grabbing some gauze and patting the wounds on my arms. I kept my eyes closed and clinched my teeth together willing myself still. A new pain burst across my arms with such a force it that my eyes snapped open. My head fell back and I screamed long and ragged and raspy as the air burned in my lungs with every breath I took. This pain was different from that of Jane's scalpel biting into my skin. It felt like my skin was being peeled away from my arms. My muscles, tendons, and ligaments all being burned at the same time, yet I _knew_ my skin still covered my arms. I wasn't sure why I was feeling this, only that I wanted it to stop. But I knew that I had to endure this pain to keep my family alive.

I felt a hand at the back of my head pulling it back up. I blinked up at Aro several times as he stared down at me with a shocked expression across his face.

_'Oh no, that can't be good_,' I thought. And as soon as I recognized that expression, I closed my eyes again and tried to slow down my breathing. In willing myself to still I must have shut down and the look across Aro's face must have meant he had seen the change in my eye color. Feeling my strength returning slowly, I opened my eyes again and Aro flinched backing away. My head stayed upright as I continued to stare at him taking deep and even breaths.

"Your eyes," he whispered.

"What about them?" I asked. My voice was raspy from the screaming. I swallowed several times to clear my throat.

"They were brown," Aro said looking suddenly confused.

"No they weren't, you must have been seeing things," I lied.

"I only see what I need to see, and your eyes _were_ brown," he said.

"I assure youthey weren't. You know my coven is unique, and that our eyes change color with our emotions. My eyes turn brown when I experience extreme pain," I lied again willing him to believe me.

_'Please, please, please believe me_,' I begged in my head.

"Very well," Aro said turning around to face Alec.

_'Sucker_,' I thought, but didn't let my small victory show in my eyes.

I remained calm as Aro began to whisper to Alec, and I noticed that Jane had joined the conversation as well. I couldn't hear what they were saying, I was too busy trying to keep myself under control.

The door suddenly burst open and Felix walked in. He walked quickly to the three vampires and began speaking low in rushed, harsh tones.

"WHAT?" Aro yelled.

"I'm sorry Aro, there was some type of explosion," Felix said.

"I don't care how it happened, just find them," Aro said sharply turning his attention back to me. I blinked at him, showing my confusion.

"It's seems your friends have managed to escape, but no worries. We will find them, and when we do, they will be executed on sight," he said.

_'Fat chance_,' I thought. We had been evading them for a long time now. I knew my family could get away, but I also knew that they would try to save me, even if it cost them their life.

"Jane, Felix, you will come with me. Alec, you will stay here and keep Bella company," Aro said turning on his heal and walking out of the room. Jane and Felix both glared at me and turned to quickly leave. Alec walked up to the door, and closed it softly.

"So, what should we do now?" I asked. Alec turned around and stared, an evil look spread across his face. Alec walked toward me when a knock came at the door. He huffed in annoyance and turned around.

"What?" he yelled grabbing the door knob. As soon as he opened the door, he flew back and crashed into the wall behind me. I looked from where I could see Alec's crumpled form to the door, and there stood the one person I knew I could count on.

Emmett. He stood there in the doorway with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

"About time," I said.

He rushed to my side grabbing a hold of my right hand and ripping the rope away from my left wrist. I winced slightly from the force of it, and that's when Emmett looked down and saw all the blood.

"Fuck Bella, what happened?" he asked gently pulling the rope off of my right wrist.

"The humans found a way to channel their mental attacks into physical ones. And let me tell you, it hurt like a bitch," I said as he grabbed a roll of gauze off the table and wrapped both of my arms up. I looked back at Alec, and saw him begin to stir.

"Emmett, we need to get out of here, before he comes to. Where are the others?" I asked looking back at him.

"They found a way out two floors down; they are waiting for us there," he said slowly lifting me out of the chair. "Can you walk?" he asked.

"With you holding my hand, I could fly," I joked. Emmett grinned at me and we took off out of the room.

We flew down the hallways in a flash. I actually thought at one time we _were _flying, cause we had never really ran a long distance together when we were linked liked this. It was an amazing adrenaline rush. With Emmett at my side, I knew we would be able to take on any enemy and we would walk away every time.

We rushed down the stairs and halted in front of a door, still hand in hand. "Just through here, " Emmett said pushing open the door and walking through. My breath caught in my throat at what I saw in front of us as we cleared the door frame. Aro, Felix, and Demetri stood in a line with Alice and Jasper kneeling in front of them. Both of them had their arms tied behind their backs and Jane stood just behind them holding knives to both of their throats. Their eyes were wide and guilt washed over me, but it wasn't only mine, it was Jasper's as well. I had no idea why he felt guilty, but I knew why I did. This was exactly why I had gone willingly, I didn't want to put them in this kind of danger.

Emmett growled next to me, and started to walk toward them, but stopped when Aro spoke.

"One more move, and I will have Jane kill them."

I tugged on Emmett's hand and drew him back to my side. Aro stepped forward and said, "It seems you have been a very naughty little girl Bella, hiding such a secret from me. Tsk Tsk!" he said.

"I told you before, I don't know what you're talking about," I lied again. I heard Alice and Jasper hiss as I saw Jane press the blade firmly against their necks.

"And I told you not to play dumb," Aro retorted.

I stared blankly back at Aro. "It seems you have yet _another_ special ability. I knew something was off when I saw your eyes change color. I _know_ the color of fear, and brown isn't it," he said.

"I'm sorry Bella, I didn't have a choice," Jasper whispered.

"No, he didn't have a choice, but Alice did," Aro said walking over to Alice and running his finger down her cheek. She visibly stiffened at his touch, but didn't move away.

"It seems the same problem I had encountered with Jane, has also presented itself with Alice as well," Aro said turning back to me.

"What are you talking about?" Emmett asked.

"Jane's memory of that night was erased," I answered.

"Exactly, as was Alice's but not to the same extent. Alice's gap in her memory was found in her past. It isn't recent," Aro said.

"What do you mean?" Emmett asked.

"I found the memory gap taking place nearly 80 years ago," Aro said nonchalantly.

"80 years ago?" I asked.

"Yes, though it is an odd time for a gap to be found. I am not quite sure what to make of it myself. I only want to know who was able to do this?" Aro asked.

"I am," a voice said from behind me and Emmett. I saw Alice and Jasper's eyes widen at the voice, and every other vampire in front of us stiffened.

Emmett and I looked at each other, then slowly looked back over our shoulders at the voice. My breath hitched instantly, and I almost didn't believe what I was seeing. At first I could only see small details about the person that stood behind me. A chiseled jawline, full soft pouting lips, a flash of bronze came across my vision, and then, I saw his eyes.

Green.

Those green eyes locked with mine, as the scent hit me and my knees buckled. Arms quickly encircled my waist and held me up. My arms hung loosely at my sides, but I could still feel Emmett's large hand in mine, as my head hung back. An arm slowly traced its way up my spine setting my nerves on fire as it came to rest on the back of my head. The hand gently pulled my head back up and I blinked several times at the person holding me. Still not believing my eyes, I removed my hand from Emmett's and raised it to touch the face in front of me. Electricity shot up through my fingers as I traced the skin below them. The world around me seemed to disappear, and all that remained was me, and the face I was now touching.

_'Such soft skin. I remember this face_,' I thought.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"I remember yours too, Bella," he replied moving his hand from the back of my neck to cup my cheek. He smiled at me, and it was that same crooked smile I had fallen in love with all those years ago. I felt him move closer to my face, his breath still smelled as sweet as it washed over me. I closed my eyes suddenly drowning in Edward's presence, when Emmett cleared his throat.

My attention shifted to Emmett and he nodded his head to his left, silently telling me that we still had other business to attend to. I looked back at Edward and smiled as I straightened my legs to stand on my own. His arms never left my waist, as I turned back around to face the other vampires in the room with my back pressed firmly against Edward's chest. My right hand came up to rest on his arms, as my left own reached out to Emmett. Emmett smiled at me grasping my hand in his, turning his attention back to the others.

"Ah, Edward, the prodigal son returns," Aro said.

"I have," Edward said resting his chin on my right shoulder.

_'God, how I've missed this_,' I thought. I could feel Edward smile against my shoulder, and placed a light kiss upon it.

"And are you going to tell me how you of all people were able to do this?" Aro asked.

"I have my ways," Edward replied.

"Well now, Bella. Now that _all_ the players have arrived, the _fun _can truly begin," Aro said.

I stiffened slightly in Edward's arms and he gently squeezed my waist.

"You have something I want Bella, and I _will _have it. Either you give it to me, or your precious little coven and your mate will die, your choice," Aro said.

"That isn't giving me a choice, Aro. You'll kill them whether I go with you or not," I replied.

"Perhaps. Jane."

Jane drew the blade slowly across Alice's neck and I heard her scream as the onslaught of pain wrecked havoc across her skin. Blood welled up slowly, but did not gush out. I started to pull out of Edward's arms, but he tightened his grip around me, and Emmett held fast on my hand. I watched as Alice slumped forward, hunching her shoulders, and whimpered through the pain.

"It's ok Bella, it wasn't a deep cut, just one deep enough to cause pain," Aro said smiling.

"Edward, let me go," I pleaded.

"No love, this is just what he wants," he whispered.

"I know that. I won't let you guys die, not for me," I said.

"Still selfless," he chuckled.

"And stubborn as ever," Emmett added.

I looked at Emmett and he was looking at our linked hands. He looked back up to my face and that all too familiar devious grin spread across his face. That same smile appeared upon my face and I nodded at him.

"Decide Bella, before my patience runs out," Aro snapped.

"Do you gamble Aro?" Emmett asked still looking at me.

"I have been known to place a bet every now and then. Why do you ask?" Aro asked.

"Let's make a bet," Emmett said looking at Aro.

Aro cocked an eyebrow and said, "I'm listening."

"I bet you, that I can beat your strongest vampire in a simple arm wrestling match," Emmett said.

Aro threw back his head and laughed, and the other vampires joined in as well.

"What do you want if you win?" Aro asked still laughing.

"The five of us walk out of here alive, and unharmed, " Emmett said.

"What do I get if you don't win?" Aro asked calming down slightly.

"Me," I said.

"Deal!" Aro said.

Edward tightened his grip around my waist. I let go of Emmett's hand so I could turn around in his arms.

"Don't do this Bella. We can find another way," Edward pleaded. I cupped his cheeks with my hands and looked at him.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing," I said softly. His hands moved up and held mine against his cheeks as he leaned his forehead against mine.

"I lost you once, I can't loose you again. I know it was my own fault before; I walked away. But I have been searching for you for six decades, now that I have found you, I'm not letting you go," he whispered.

I pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes. "We can deal with your bullshit reasons later. Right now, we have do deal with this, " I said.

He stared back me and nodded, releasing his hold on my hands.

I moved away from Edward and turned back to Aro.

"Let's do this," I said.

Five minutes later, there now sat a table and two chairs in the center of the room. Everyone had moved to the outer walls. Felix and Demetri were now holding onto Jasper and Alice as Jane stood in front of them with knives tightly gripped in each of her hands. She was positioned to strike at a moments notice. Caius had arrived and was now sitting across the table from Emmett. Edward and I stood behind Emmett as Aro stood behind Caius. I was smiling smugly at Aro as I knew we could easily win this.

"Bella, don't think for one second that I don't know what you are attempting to do. If you so much as move a millimeter in towards Emmett, Alice and Jasper will be killed,. I know what the two of you are capable of, and I will not tolerate cheating. Move back against the wall," Aro said.

"You as well," Edward said.

"Fair enough," and with that, Aro moved away from Caius and pressed himself against the back wall.

Edward and I moved as well until I felt the stone wall at my back. Emmett placed his right arm upon the table and bent it at the elbow. Caius mirrored Emmett with his own right arm. They grasped each others hands and twisted them around a few times before settling into a nice tight grip.

"We're ready Aro," Caius said staring at Emmett.

"Good, then you may begin," Aro said.

From where I stood, I could see Emmett's bicep bulge with effort at the same time as Caius'. Neither ones arm moved for several minutes.

I felt Edward stiffen next to me and I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. I saw him lean toward me and press his lips against my ear. I am sure that to everyone else it looked like he was just kissing my ear, but I felt his breath against it as he breathed out. "Alec is standing just outside of this room. Aro is going to use him to blind Emmett, if you are going to do something, you need to do it quick," he whispered, his lips not even moving against the shell of my ear.

I heard Alice gasp and Emmett's arm bent two inched back.

_'Oh, god, let me be fast enough_,' I thought. I heard Emmett grunt with effort as I saw an evil smile spread across Aro's face. Emmett's arm bent back another two inches, but quickly pushed Caius' arm back and regained the two inches.

"Enough of this, finish it Caius," Aro barked.

I heard Emmett grunt again, and watched his arm starting to bend back moving closer to the top of the table.

"Noooo," I yelled lunging forward.

A thunderous sound erupted from the center of the room as a pile of dust exploded into the air clouding my vision.

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_**A/N: Ah, and Edward FINALLY appears! Can you guess who won? Review and the next chapter will be up sooner than you think. Hope you guys are still enjoying this!! I am!!**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Nothing really new in this chapter except a few deatils have been added in. Hope you guys are still enjoying it. As always, Fate Lowe in an awesome Beta!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!**_

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An eerie silence fell upon the room, as the last of the dust cloud settled. I didn't understand what I was seeing. Emmett and Caius were still in front of me, but Caius had a strange look upon his face. I don't think I had ever seen that look on another vampire's face before, and it almost unnerved me.

"Not possible," Caius whispered.

A strange sensation was coursing through my body, and at first I didn't recognized it. I concentrated on it for a spilt second and looked around the room. Every vampire facing me had their eyes trained on me.

_'What?' _I thought, my face showing my confusion.

I looked at Jasper and Alice and found their eyes were set on my hand. Curious, I followed their gaze down and that's when I noticed it. I finally recognized the sensations that were coursing through my veins. My eyes widened in shock.

Adrenaline.

I blinked several times, not believing what I was seeing. The very tip of my index finger was _barely_ touching Emmett's right shoulder. I pulled my finger back slowly, but I could _still_ feel the overabundance of adrenaline rushing through me.

_'This can't be good_,' I thought.

I felt a hand rest on my left shoulder and jumped from the sudden contact. I whipped around bringing my right hand with me, closed fist to hit the person. My fist connected with skin before I realized who it was and sent them flying back into the wall. Their body broke through it with ease and landed on the outside of the room. I walked toward them and saw Edward sitting up rubbing his jaw.

_'Opps_!'

I stared at him as he stood up, dusted himself off, and walked toward me. "Can't say I didn't deserve that, but damn!" he said chuckling. His laugh still sounded like music to me ears. I felt the adrenaline start to ebb from my body as I turned back to the others. They were all still in the exact same place they were before, with all the same expressions. Shock. I felt Edward come up behind me and place a hesitant hand on my left shoulder.

"I'm ok," I said.

"I know, but one can never be too careful," he laughed squeezing my shoulder slightly, before dragging it down to intertwine our fingers. I turned to him and smiled, showing I enjoyed the contact.

When I looked back at the others, only Jane had moved from her previous position. She had moved closer to Aro, who still stood motionless, his face showing slight horror, and confusion. I heard Edward laugh softly next to me.

"Am I missing something?" I asked looking at him.

"Kind of. Walk around Emmett, and look for yourself," he replied letting go of my hand and gesturing me toward Emmett.

So I did. I walked forward slowly, not exactly sure what I was going to see, and then as I came up to his left side, the scent hit me.

Blood.

I peered around Emmett's large frame and down at the floor. An ever-growing puddle of blood was forming on the floor below their feet mixing with what looked like wood dust. I surveyed the floor around their feet, and noticed there was nothing there but a pile of wood dust and blood..

_'So that's what that sound was_," I thought. The table was gone, reduced to a simple pile of dust that now lay at Emmett and Caius' feet.

I followed the stream of blood up to it's source, and that's when I gasped. The blood was coming from Caius' shoulder, or what was left of it. I looked at Emmett's face, and saw a small grin on it, but his eyes showed shock. I looked down again, and that's when I saw Emmett's hand, and what was in it. Still tightly grasped in Emmett's right hand, was Caius' _entire _rightarm, including part of his shoulder. It had been completely ripped out of Caius' shoulder socket, and now dangled lifelessly in Emmett's firm hand.

"Emmett?" I asked softly, tentively placing a hand on his left shoulder.

"Huh?" Emmett asked, snapping out of his somewhat shocked state and looked up at me.

"You can let go. We won," I said smiling down at him.

"Huh, I guess we did," Emmett said laughing.

Quickly returning his gaze back to Caius he asked, "Did you want this back?" Emmett held up the vampire's arm in front of him. Aro took three quick steps toward us, reaching around Caius' body and snatched the limp arm out of Emmett's grasp. Emmett flinched, "No need to be a sore loser Aro. Just admit defeat, and we will be on our way,"

"I don't think so. You have clearly cheated," Aro said holding up Caius' arm.

"Only because you did first," Edward said from behind us.

Aro looked up somewhat confused, as Emmett and I turned around. Edward had Alec in a tight grip on his upper left arm, dragging him into the room.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about Edward," Aro said looking smugly.

Edward tapped his temple with his free hand, and said, "I guess you've forgotten I can read minds. I heard what you were planning to do, using Alec to blind Emmett, so Caius could win."

"So that's why the lights went out?" Emmett asked.

"Yes," Edward said flatly.

"Huh, and I just thought Caius was actually stronger than me for a second."

"Thank you," Caius said softly behind us.

"So it seems we are at a stalemate, wouldn't you agree?" Aro asked. I wasn't exactly sure who he was asking, but it was Edward who answered, "Perhaps, but Emmett did clearly win. At least you could do, is release Alice and Jasper from their restraints."

"Fair enough," Aro said snapping his fingers. I turned to see Jane moving Felix and Demetri out of the way as she moved up behind Alice and Jasper. I heard a faint cutting sound, then saw Alice bring her hands in front of her rubbing her wrists. Jasper followed two seconds after. Relief washed over me as Jasper grabbed Alice's hand and walked over to us.

"Now if you would be so kind as to let Alec go?" Aro asked.

I turned just as Edward shoved Alec away from him and watched as Alec crossed the room to stand next to Aro. He stared down at the arm that Aro was still holding on to.

"Alec, take this, and Caius out and see that the damage is fixed," Aro said handing Alec Caius' arm. Alec quickly grabbed a hold of the arm and moved to help Caius up. We all watched as the two vampires left the room.

Silence once again fell upon the room as all of us stared at one another. My gaze flicked from Alice and Jasper hugging each other, to Emmett standing up from his chair to move up next to me, to Edward moving up to my other side, and finally landing on the four vampires that now stood in a line between us and the door that would lead us the hell out of here.

_'Now what_?' I thought.

Jasper clearly sensing my confusion cleared his throat, "Now what?"

"Now we leave," Emmett said grabbing a hold of my hand.

"Not so fast Emmett," Aro said.

"What do you mean 'not so fast'? We won the bet; we're leaving," Emmett said inching himself and I forward toward them.

Aro held up his hand. "You have not won the bet. You cheated, as I did. I will not let Bella walk out of here without giving me what I want."

"And what is it that you want from me Aro?" I asked.

"Your blood," he replied.

"Why? What is so special about my blood that you just have to have it?" I asked sarcastically.

"Bella, we have talked about your stupidity, don't make this any worse for yourself. You know _exactly _why I want your blood. Jasper was kind enough to tell me all about it, well, he didn't have a choice in the matter. I stole the information from his mind," Aro replied.

I sighed in defeat. I was never a good liar. Even having 80 years to perfect my lying skills, I was still a bad liar, and I couldn't fake ignorance to save my undead life. But why did Aro want my blood so badly? What would he use it for? I knew he enjoyed being who and what he is, so I was effectively confused about his desire for my blood.

"Why do you want it so badly?" I asked.

"Let's just say for curiosity sake, and leave it at that," he said nonchalantly.

"Curiosity my ass," Edward scoffed. I turned to look at Edward who was staring at Aro with a look of disgust upon his beautiful face. He looked down at me with a look on his face that clearly said he had read Aro's mind, and that his thoughts about my blood were more than out of curiosity.

I turned back to Aro, "You want to see if my blood will help you shut off your vampiric nature?"

"Something like that," he replied.

"That's not all, is it Aro?" Edward asked.

"No, I'm afraid it's not," Aro said.

I watched as the two vampires stared at one another. "Care to elaborate, then?" I asked looking directly at Aro.

"Why don't you tell her Edward, since you seem to _know _all my thoughts," Aro said politely.

"He wants to see if your blood will allow him to merge his powers with others, like you can do already," Edward said staring at Aro.

"Exactly. You all know very well, that I consider myself the strongest of us all, but I do not like that fact that this, fledgling, holds more power than I do," Aro stated.

_'Fledgling_?'

Emmett's grip on my hand tightened suddenly. "It's never gonna happen Aro, and you know it. You can't get past us, none of you can. You said it yourself, Bella holds more power than you do, so you might as well give up and walk away now, while you are still standing."

Aro laughed at Emmett a second before adding, "You might be right, but then again, I know what her weakness is."

"And what's that?" Jasper asked. I turned my head toward him, nearly forgetting that he and Alice were still in the room with us. They had been quiet up until now.

"Your pain. Jane?" Aro asked. Jane stepped forward to stand in front of Aro, where he rested his hands on her tiny shoulders. I had never paid that much attention to her, but seeing her standing in front of Aro, I realized that she was just as tiny as Alice was. But, size didn't matter, not in Alice's case, and sure as shit not in Jane's case. We all knew what she was capable of, and that I alone was immune to her power, so what was Aro talking about?

I let confusion show on my face and it only seemed to make Aro's smile widen. "You see Bella, you might be immune to Jane, but the rest of them aren't. And if I can't have your blood willingly, than I will take it by force," he said squeezing Jane's little shoulders.

Screams erupted on all sides of me as I looked around and saw Emmett, Alice, Jasper and Edward all on their knees with their heads grasped tightly between their hands.

_'Shit, why hadn't Alice seen this coming_?' I thought as I frantically searched their pained faces.

"Stop this!" I yelled.

"I don't think so. Not until I have your blood," Aro said calmly, still squeezing Jane's shoulders. I searched the room, looking for anything that could help me, and I spotted it on the other side of the room, beside Demetri's feet. One of the knives that Jane had been holding in her hands laid there on the floor. It glowed dimly in the room, and it made me stare at it harder. It almost glowed like a beacon in the night sky. This beacon was drawing me toward it even before I realized I was moving across the room. No one tried to stop me as I bent over and picked it up. White heat flashed across my palm as I grasped it in my hand. It felt like little insects biting into my skin, and I nearly dropped it at the sensation. I steeled myself against the pain and stood back up walking back over to my fallen family who were still on their knees. Their screams had lessened, but not by much. I stood in front of them, guarding their crumpled forms. I wasn't about to allow anyone to harm them while they were incapacitated. I knew my next actions would either mean my death, or our escape. Guess which one I was leaning towards?

_'Please, let this work_,' I thought.

Staring defiantly at Aro I said, "Fine, you want me blood, you can have it," as I tore the bandage off my left wrist and poised the knife over the already healing wound.

"No Bella. Don't do this, just get out while you still can," Edward whispered, his pain was evident in his voice.

"You know it's the only way for us all to get out alive," I whispered back closing my eyes as I felt the sting of tears threatening to blur of vision.

"We can find another way," Jasper said. I shook my head.

I opened my eyes to let the tears fall and looked at Aro, his face was lit up in eager anticipation. I looked back at my family and they were now looking up at me. Jane had apparently pulled back. I was guessing it was her sick way of letting them see my death. Every single one of them had the same expression upon their beautiful faces.

Fear.

For my life.

They knew what I was about to do. I was getting ready to either sacrifice my life for theirs, or possibly give us a way out. I turned away from them with the knife still poised at my wrist, inhaled slowly, and drew the blade slowly across my wrist..

The blade bit into my skin and I let out a low hiss. Blood welled up and began running down both sides of my wrist in two steady streams, one in either direction. I dropped the knife, and held up my arm toward Aro, offering my blood. He quickly pushed Jane away from his body and grabbed my wrist. He stared at me for a split second before bending his headover my bleeding wrist and sealing his lips over the wound.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered as I closed my eyes. I knew what could happen if another vampire drank from me, they would gain my ability to shut off my very vampiric nature, as for gaining my other ability I wasn't sure. How much blood was another question, and I wasn't sure of the answer right now as I stared at Aro's throat as it continued to swallow my blood. As dizziness swam through my head from blood loss, Aro stumbled back from me licking his lips.

"Incredible," he whispered.

I sunk to me knees letting the dizziness take over my body.

"Such power little one," Aro said smiling down at me as I looked up at him through my now blurred vision and a screen of my hair.

"I will have more," he whispered pushing my hair out of my eyes.

"Get away from her!" Alice yelled jumping in between Aro and me. I felt arms encircle my waist lifting me from the floor. From the swell of the chest, I could tell it was Emmett, the hands rubbing small meaningless circles on my back were Jasper's, and the hands that were cradling my head were Edward's. I blinked at him through my still blurred vision. I could see his mouth moving, but I couldn't hear anything he was saying. I felt deaf and partially blind.

_'How much blood did he take_?' I thought. I felt Edward's lips against my ear, "Too much love."

_'If you can still hear me, you better explain how you are able to do that_,' I thought to him. I felt him smile against my skin and kiss my earlobe.

My vision came back to me in small doses and I could see Alice shouting at Aro. I lifted my head from Emmett's chest to watch the shouting match. I still felt weak, but I patted Emmett's arm telling him to set me down on my feet. Emmett lowered me minutely but kept his grip tight around my waist as if afraid my legs wouldn't hold me. Jasper stood on my left side, hand resting upon my shoulder. Waves of calm flooded into my system and I sagged slightly against Emmett's large chest.

"You could have killed her you son of bitch!" Alice shouted, nearly screaming. Yep, my hearing was definitely coming back.

"I am aware of that, and if you do not get out of my way, you will damn well regret it," Aro snapped back.

I felt Edward leave our little cicrle to stand next to Alice.

"You've had enough Aro, leave her be. You got what you wanted," Edward said calmly.

"It's no longer the only thing I want. I still want your pain," Aro said quickly grabbing Jane's hand. Alice and Edward dropped in front of us and wailed. Emmett, Jasper and I seemed immune to her attack, and I suddenly knew why. They were both touching me, tucked safely under my shield. I felt the first pulse of adrenaline pour through my veins as the sensation of utter panic overloaded my mind.

"Ooohhh, so I can combine and have it magnified. How lovely," Aro said with a sick smile across his face.

Edward and Alice continued to scream as they thrashed around on the floor in unbearable pain.

"Bella, are you willing to trade your life for theirs?" Aro asked looking directly at me.

I stared at him, anger washing over my vision, tinting everything in a red hue.

"I assure you, with our combined powers, and the magnification, Jane can fry their minds. They would essentially be walking zombies. You wouldn't want that, now would you?" Aro asked.

I cleared my throat. "No," I said through clinched teeth.

Their screaming became louder as I watched Jane stare more intently at Alice and Edward.

"Time is running out dear Isabella, I am most certain their minds cannot take much more of this pain," Aro said.

And with Aro saying my full name, I snapped.

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_**A/N: Want to know what happens next? Review and you will find out!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Ok, so I added a few details that should have been added in the first time I worte this, but forgot. I also added what happened to Jake after they left. All locations mentioned in this chapter are real places. I have actually been to one, and the others I researched.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**_

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Jasper and Emmett's grip on me tightened when Aro had said my full name, and now the room was bathed in a red haze as I stared ahead. A new sensation was now pumping through my system, one I had never experienced before, and one I was always afraid of. This sensation was only tripled by Jasper and Emmett's firm grasp on my limbs, as I found myself slowly inching toward the two vampires that stood in front of me. A slight tug backwards and I found myself frozen in their grasp.

Adrenaline coursed through me, but had never felt this way before. My muscles swelled in anticipation, and I felt the need to move forward again, but Emmett and Jasper held me tightly against them. A dozen thoughts danced through my mind as the adrenaline pumped more quickly. Thoughts of the despair I experienced when Edward left me all those years ago. The loss I felt when I thought that Jacob had abandoned me when he went through his transformation. Other thoughts swam through my mind, but they weren't my own, they were ones of my victims and were the same ones I had held captive in my mind. All of these thoughts had slowly began to eat away at my mind and I knew one day the wall I had built within my self would eventually crumble. Hearing Aro say my full name was what brought down that wall. The last person who had ever said my full name was long since dead and buried. My father Charlie. His last words to me were, "_I love you Isabella, never forget that_." My father only used my full name when something was serious and he had wanted me to know at his time of passing, that no matter where he went afterwards he would always love me, _forever_.

_'Charlie. I never forgot, and I never will_,' I thought.

And with that last thought, I now knew what the new sensation was that coursed quickly through me was.

Rage.

I was enraged by the fact that Aro had stolen that memory from Jasper when he touched him. Jasper had stood by my side holding my hand as Charlie passed. And now he used that memory against me thinking that I would fall to the floor at his feet and beg for the life of my fallen companions. But little did he know that that memory would trigger the destruction of my wall and unleash the monster that I knew was hiding in the depths of my being.

I felt the floor shift under my feet, and Emmett and Jasper gasped as they loosened their grasp on me only slightly. I could see nothing but my father's face as he said his last words to me and that only caused the rage to flood my system more.

I blinked to clear away the memory of Charlie and I now saw Aro and Jane staring me with similar looks upon both their faces.

Amusement.

_'We'll see who has the last laugh_,' I thought.

They thought this was funny, but their expression changed quickly as they looked down at the floor as I took a step forward. I followed their vision to the ground that lay under my foot, and saw that the stone floor had cracked and ebbed under my weight. I looked up again at their faces with what I knew was a sinister grin and took another step forward. Again the floor shifted under my weight and I then felt the cracking in the stone. Emmett and Jasper each took one of my hands and followed beside me as I walked toward Aro and Jane. The floor quaked with every step the three of us took. I knew they could both feel the rage that radiated off of me. It was seeping out of every pore, and encompassing the three of us. The air shifted around us. I could almost feel the pressure drop in the room. It left an eerie feeling and a deadly silence.

The calm before the storm.

I knew I didn't necessarily need Emmett or Jasper to help me in what I was about to do, but the added power was too good to give up.

"Jasper," I said as I looked at Aro and Jane.

I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye and he let go of my hand. He knew what I was asking him to do, and as soon as he let go of my hand, I felt theair around us shift again. I saw Felix and Demetri drop to their knees behind Jane and Aro, and knew Jasper had drenched them in fear. A fear so debilitating, that they could only cower and huddle close together.

I looked down at Alice and Edward and saw that they hadboth fallen silent, and were no longer screaming in agony. Jane and Aro had pulled back their attack the moment I had stepped forward. Jasper stepped around Emmett and I and dragged Alice and Edward out of our way. Seeing Jasper pull them out of our way, I noticed they both looked ashen and drained.

New rage poured through me at this and Emmett and I took another step forward. The room quaked around us, and I saw little bits of debris falling from the ceiling above us. Aro and Jane looked up at the ceiling and I took the opportunity to close the gap in between us. Emmett and I took three quick steps toward them in a second and more debris fell around us. Aro and Jane blinked through it and shock appeared on their faces when they saw that we only stood a foot from them.

"Not so funny now is it?" I asked staring at Aro. He only blinked at me as he opened and closed his mouth, unable to respond to the destruction I was now causing around him.

"What's wrong Aro? Death got your tongue?" I snapped. He blinked again, and I saw arrogance wash over his face.

I looked at Jane for a second and saw the same arrogance splashed across her face as well.

"I seriously doubt that you could defeat me without holding Emmett's hand," he sneered.

My eyes snapped back to Aro's and I felt a small pang of doubt at his words and the rage receded slightly. I looked up at Emmett as he continued to stare at the two vampires in front of us. Could I really let go of Emmett's hand and fight him one on one? Surely I could, couldn't I? I looked back at Aro and the doubt must have showed because the quaking ebbed slightly.

"I see doubt in your eyes Bella," Aro laughed.

I heard Jane snicker next to him. The doubt Aro hand planted in my head was starting grow, and I quickly glanced back at Jasper. He was hugging Alice against him with one arm, and had the other around Edward's shoulders, holding him up under his arms. Edward was sagging against Jasper. I looked back at Alice as she too was sagging against Jasper. They both looked nearly lifeless as they tried to hold onto him. I couldn't let myself fail to save them, and all it took was one look into Edward's beautiful green eyes as he stared back at me and any doubt I had previously, quickly dissolved. I watched as he mouthed, _I love you, _and I turned my attention back to Aro.

Aro looked back at me with the same arrogance as before and I felt the rage boil once more. Emmett's hand squeezed mine as I know he felt it too. A renewal of the power and strength that radiated off of both of us caused the room to quake once again.

"Your display of power is not one I am afraid of. You could never defeat me on your own. I know Emmett's strength fuels your own, but are you strong enough without Emmett holding your hand?" Aro asked

I thought about for a second, and knew that I was. When I had touched Emmett before, it had only been the tip of my finger, and even after I retracted said fingertip, I could still feel the added strength and adrenaline coursing through me. With my body now pulsing with rage, I knew I could, but I wouldn't let Aro know that. I drew Emmett closer to me so that the sides of our bodies were touching. This only seem to cause the power between us to build and it was almost to much to contain.

Having seen me draw Emmett into my side, Aro said, "You are weak, just like your father was Isabella."

"You really shouldn't have said that," Edward whispered.

Feeling the power crest, I screamed wordlessly. Ripping my hand from Emmett's, I lunged forward crashing into Aro, sending him to the floor with me straddling him. The force of my body colliding with his into the floor caused it to crack and shatter slightly, creating a crater. I bunched the collar of his shirt in my hands and brought his face within inches of my own. I stared at him for a second then reared back, letting go of his collar with one hand and snapping it back with a closed fist into the ground next to his head. The floor collapsed under my fist and I punched straight through it. It created a small shock-wave, sending Felix and Demetri crashing into the wall behind them. I heard a rumbling come from above us, but didn't pay any attention to it.

Aro flinched at the sound. "Still think I'm weak?" I spat at him. He turned his head slightly and saw my hand and most of my forearm was still in the floor next to his head. He looked back at mewith wide eyes, but I saw something flicker in them just as I felt a stinging sensation pierce my right side. My eyes widened as I removed my hand from the floor and leaned back looking down at my side. I blinked as I saw Aro's hand was closed around the hilt of Jane's knife that was now sunk hilt deep into my body. I heard a collective gasp in the room around me.

"Yes, I do," he said twisting the hilt, causing the blade to shift painfully into me. I gritted my teeth as the pain shot through me, but it only added to my rage.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply through the pain and closed my hand over Aro's. Steeling myself, I opened my eyes and stared at him as I twisted his hand back and forth, causing more shifting of the blade within me. I had become numb to the white heat that danced under my skin as I felt my blood seeping into my shirt. Aro's eyes widened once again as I slowly pulled his hand and the knife from my side.

Holding his hand and the knife away from us, I leaned back over his body. I could feel him struggle against my hold on his hand, and it only made metighten my grasp on it more. Aro gasped when I felt the bones in his hand break under my grip.

"How is this possible?" Aro croaked.

"Pain only adds to the rage," I whispered, "and you just made it worse for yourself. Turnabout is fair play."

Gripping his hand tighter, I pulled his hand closer to his body. The tip of the knife scrapped against the skin of his neck, causing him to hiss. I leaned away from him slightly, as I could feel my strength starting to wane from the loss of contact from Emmett. With one last deep inhale, I tightened my grip on the collar of his shirt for leverage as I gathered the last of the rage and strength I had and plunged the knifehome until the hilt bruised his neck, and yet I continued to push his hand and the knife further into the side of his neck twisting it back and forth until I felt the bone of his spine and let go. Aro coughed and gagged on his own blood as it flew out of his mouth, causing it to splatter across the front of my shirt. Aro's other hand began to claw at the hand that still held onto his collar. I was weakening quickly, and started to slump forward slightly.

I felt arms snake around my ribcage under my arms and pull me back away from Aro's body as he continued to cough and gag around the knife that was still lodged in the side of his neck. I sagged against the chest of the body that had pulled me away from Aro, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

_'Home_,' I thought.

"That's right, darlin'," Jasper whispered as he cradled me against his body. I opened my eyes to see a rather large puddle of blood was now spreading out from under Aro's body. He was still gagging and coughing while trying desparately to remove the knife from his neck, but failing miserably.

"Where's Jane?" I asked.

I saw Jasper extend an arm and pointed to a pile of rubble that was only a few feet away from where Aro was laying. I blinked several times and focused on the pile of rubble and debris and that's when I saw a tiny hand sticking out from under a rather large stone. I looked up at the ceiling and saw that it had collapsed, right on top of Jane.

"Is she?" I asked.

"Not sure. You know how much damage we can take, but I haven't seen her move since the ceiling came down. You sure pack one hell of punch Bells," Jasper whispered kissing the top of my head.

"So that's what that noise was?" I asked half laughing.

"Yeah, you sure can bring the room down," Emmett said.

I looked over Jasper's shoulder and saw Emmett standing there laughing with both Alice and Edward each laying over a shoulder. His arms were holding them around the backs of their thighs as he walked toward Jasper and I. They just kind of dangled onhis broad shoulders like they were dead.

I stiffened slightly at this sight, and Jasper said, "Don't worry. They're ok, just too weak right now to stand on their own."

Jasper scooped me up into his arms, and looked at Emmett.

"What should we do with them?" Emmett asked pointing his chin in Aro and the others' direction. I looked up from Jasper's shoulders and over at the fallen vampires.

"Leave them. This should teach them not to mess with us again," I said leaned my head back against Jasper's shoulder. I felt Jasper nod, and he turned with me in his arms and walked out of the room.

Exhaustion began to sweep into my body and my eyes fluttered.

"It's ok Bella, rest. I'm calling Jacob as soon as we're out of here," Jasper said softly.

"Where is here exactly?" I mumbled.

"Something near Needles. It's a very remote town in Southern California," he said.

"Kay," was the last thing I mumbled before the darkness of exhaustion swept over me.

* * *

My body was vibrating as I felt the night air whipping my hair across my face. I could hear the sounds of the freeway around me, and I inhaled softly. I blinked several times, allowing my vision to clear away any remnants of exhaustion. I could see the landscape in front of me changing with every second I blinked. I felt the cool leather of the seat I was sitting in, and realized we were in our SUV. I could hear Jasper's voice in front of me. I lifted my head from the headrest and stared out the window.

_'Where are we?' _

"On our way back to Seattle," Edward said softly placing a hand on my knee.

I looked down at his hand, then followed his arm up until I saw his face. Alice's head was resting in the crook of his opposite shoulder, his arm was sitting perfectly around her small shoulders, hugging her to his body. I smiled at this and I was happy to see her finally reunited with her brother.

"Are you going to tell me how you do that?" I asked looking back at him.

"I could only hear you when your shield is down and that only seems to happen when you are barely conscious. I must say, it is rather odd that you can pass out," he said softly squeezing my knee slightly.

I smiled at him and placed a hand over his. He turned his hand over so that our palms were touching and intertwined our fingers.

"So how much trouble am I in?" Edward asked, chuckling.

"Heaps," I said squeezing his hand.

I looked down at my shirt and noticed it had been changed. I twisted my torso slightly to the right and felt the bandages that were wound tightly across my mid-section. I noticed that both of my arms hand been re-bandaged, but they were much smaller than before. It looked like I had tried to commit suicide, because the gauze only covered my wrists.

_'Great. Now I look like a head case_,' I thought sourly.

"Who changed me?" I asked to no one. I felt Edward squeeze my hand. "Jasper did," he whispered. I just nodded in response and looked at the seat in front of me.

I leaned forward and peered over the seat in front of me. Emmett's head was resting against the headrest with his eyes closed. I removed my hand from Edward's and placed it on Emmett's shoulder giving it a slight squeeze. He opened his eyes and turned to me, with a lazy grin across his face.

"Hey sis," he whispered kissing my temple.

"Hey."

I turned my hand and saw Jasper talking quietly into his phone as he drove.

"Who's he on the phone with?" I asked softly.

"Jacob. He isn't exactly happy to hear that Edward's back in the picture," Emmett laughed.

"Pfftt. As if he ever had a chance with me," I said.

"_Is that Bella_?" I heard Jacob ask loudly.

"Yeah man, she finally woke up," Jasper said smiling at me.

"_Let me talk to her_."

"Alright Jake, no need to get your boxers in a bunch," Jasper laughed passing me the phone.

I grabbed it and cradled it against my right shoulder leaning back against my seat.

"Hi Jake."

"Bells! I heard you kicked some major Volturi ass!"

I laughed softly, "Yeah, I guess I did."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Jake said.

'Will do," I replied.

There was silence for a second before Jacob spoke again. "So, is it true?" he asked.

"Is what true?"

"That the _leech_ is back?" Jacob asked.

I felt Edward stiffen next to me and I turned to look at him. He kept is attention on the road ahead of us.

"Yeah, it's true," I smiled. Edward visibly relaxed at my words and placed his hand on my knee again.

"Oh come on Bells, how could you let him back in after all he did to you?" Jacob asked.

"He helped us back there with the Volturi, Jacob. And besides, you don't know what was said that night, so you have no idea what I went through. You only saw the aftermath," I said.

"No Bells, I heard everything he said."

"What?" I asked gritting my teeth and tightening my hold on the phone.

Edward's hand squeezed my knee and I looked at him. He stared right back at me, a worried look plain as day in his eyes.

"How would you know that Jacob?" I asked still looking at Edward.

"Because I -, " Jacob started, but was cut off when the phone magically disappeared from my ear and was now against Edward's. Alice had lifted her head from Edward's shoulder and was now looking at me. I shook my head at her, saying I didn't know what was going on and then I looked at Jasper in the rear-view. He looked back at me with a small smile saying that everything was going to be ok.

"You promised me _mutt_, and part of that promise was _when_ I came back, that I was to tell her what happened. At least now I know that one of you kept their promise," Edward said snapping the phone shut and handing it back to Jasper.

I crossed my arms across my chest and stared at Edward as he leaned back against the seat. I know he felt my eyes boring into the side of his head. "What?" he asked quietly looking at me out of the corner of his eyes.

"Are you going to tell me the details of this promise?" I asked.

"Yes," was all he said. I shook my head at him and turned to stare out the car window again.

"So what happened after we left the bar?" I asked watching the scenery change by the minute.

Jasper cleared his throat and I looked at him through the rear-view mirror. "Felix showed up about 45 minutes after we left. He and Jake got into it, but Jake had already alerted Sam and Seth, so there really wasn't anything that Felix could do, but cut his losses and run. The bar is pretty trashed though. Gonna take a couple of days to get it back to what it was."

"But that shouldn't be a problem, not with Edward back in the picture. He always was the fastest of us. He could probably get the whole thing donein one day," Emmett said.

"We'll see," was all I said before my gaze turnedback out the window.

Several hours and more than 1000 miles later we entered Oregon and I was officially starving. Jasper must of noticed my eyes as he stared back at me through the rearview, because he took the next exit entering the small town of Grants Pass.

"Thank God. I'm starving!" Emmett boomed from the front seat.

"When are you not hungry Emmett?" Alice asked.

"Only at the bar. I never eat our customers," Emmett laughed back.

Everyone laughed but Edward. Of course he wouldn't get the joke, it was one of the bar rules not to eat our customers. It wasn't that their blood didn't taste good, it was just that alcohol mixed with blood didn't, plus Emmett made the mistake one night of snacking on a pretty blonde, and the memories were so terrible he practically begged us to kill him. Needless to say, none of us touched a customer after that night.

After pulling into the Riverside Inn, Jasper hopped out saying that he was going to get us two rooms and that he would be right back. Emmett and Alice exited next leaving only Edward and I in the car. Silence hung in the air, and I shifted in my seat, turing toward the window.

"Bella," Edward whispered.

"What?" I snapped.

"Please look at me," he whispered again placing a hand over mine where it lay on the seat between our bodies. I looked down at his hand, then at his face. I still felt the electricity of his touch, even after 80 years.

His eyes were sad as he looked at me, and I was no stranger to the sadness I saw. It was the same sadness I saw in my own eyes when I looked at myself in the mirror the day after he left. The same sadness that hung heavily in my heart, even now as I looked at him. The hole that was once very present in my heart was threatening to rip open again as I looked at him.

"I can't.....I can't do this," I whispered grabbing for the door handle, and pushing the door open.

"Bella please," Edward pleaded, not letting go of my hand.

I ripped my hand away from his, suddenly furious at him for pleading with me. I stepped out of the car and turned to him, seeing him moving across the seat, but stopped with one foot on the pavement when he saw the expression on my face.

"Don't like when someone walks away from you when their pleading with you, do you?" I asked.

"No," he whispered looking at his foot on the pavement.

"Now you know how it feels," I said walking away.

* * *

_**A/N: Stay with me, their confrontation and Edward's explanation is coming up next chapter!!! Reviews are better than Bella's comebacks!!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Alright my readers, you wanted to Edward's explanation, here it is. Some of you could probably guess what it is, but if not, you'll read it here. Though, I must say I was a little disappointed from the lack of response from my last chapter. I thought you guys would have thoroughly enjoyed it, I did. But, oh well, we'll see how you guys like this one. I will warn you, there is some mild smut in this chapter, this will be also minor blood-play, but it is essential to Edward's explanation, and it is my first time writing such things, so bare with me here. again, I added in some new details here and there. My Beta Fate Lowe is one awesome individual! **_

_**Sorry about the long wait here people, I was in Washington State over the weekend, and was not able to get to a computer. AND, do you want to know where I went......hmmmm....that's right my lovely readers, I drove to FORKS!!!!!!! And they weren't kidding about it always raining there. Have any questions, feel free to review, and I will get back to each and every one of you!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, and the murderous side of Bella's personality!!**_

* * *

I ran into town, not caring where my feet were taking me; I only wanted to get away from everything at this exact moment.

_'I can't believe he had the nerve to plead with me_,' I thought angrily.

Slowing my pace to a casual "human" one, I scanned the area for a bar and located one not more than twenty feet from me. I opened the door and walked in, with my head hung low as to avoid any gawkers. Humans usually didn't like to be stared at by an unnaturally beautiful woman with black eyes. I carefully scanned the bar, only peaking up every now and then, and noticed a rather built young man sitting in the far corner of the bar, with his head hung over his drink. I took careful mental notes watching him nurse his drink, first noticing it was a clear liquid with ice and a lemon wedge, then the fact that he was sipping it through a straw. It had to have been water, and my mouth began to salivate.

_'Hmmmm....lunch_!' I thought as I made my way over, but stopped as I walked by a mirror and saw my reflection.

_'Shit, my eyes are still black, need to change that_.'

Turning my body back to the human male, I noticed he had food now laying in front of him, and he had already begun to dig in. Thinking that I should give him few moments to finish his meal, I retired myself to the ladies bathroom to gather my strength. Upon walking in, I noticed several females standing over a few of the sinks, checking their make-up and washing their hands. Wanting to seem as "human" as possible at this moment, I quickly made my way over to an empty sink and washed my hands, only glancing once to see my reflection. I heard their giggling die with the soft clicking of the bathroom door, so I shut off the water. I pulled some paper towels out of the dispenser and dried my hands.

I walked back over to the sink running my hands through my hair, before setting then down on the counter-top. I thought about how I looked at this precise moment and realized that anyone who saw the bandages on my wrists would think I was in fact a head case. I stared at the bandage on my left wrist and carefully pealed it back. All that was left was a shiny pink patch of skin that was now in place of the gaping wound that had once been there. I decided that I could take a chance with what it looked like and carefully unwound the bandage. After tossing it in the trash, I peeled the bandage on my right wrist back and noticed that this one had not healed quite as quickly.

_'I guess I could pass it off as a tattoo, or something_,' I thought and went back to the task at hand. Food.

I closed my eyes and lowered my head as I placed my hands palm down on the counter-top. Taking in slow deep breaths, I concentrated on willing myself into a stillness that only the undead can do. Once I felt my body fall into that stillness, I began to feel my hunger fade to a dull ache and my body temperature rise slightly. Still aware of my surroundings, I heard the bathroom door open, but kept my eyes closed and my head down. The stench of alcohol hit my nose and I had to control myself from recoiling from it. This woman had far too much to drink this evening, and it was truly sickening to smell it on her.

"Are you ok sugar?" a rather hoarse voice asked. I only nodded my head.

"Are you sure?" it asked again, and I felt a hand rest upon my shoulder. I opened my eyes and slowly raised my head to peak at myself in the mirror through my lashes.

_'Good, brown is good_,' I thought as I noticed the slight flush of pink that now covered my cheeks. Most humans had a slight pink flush totheir skin, and over the years I had learned how to pull my blood to my skin's surface to mock the color.

I looked at the woman in the mirror and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for asking." I stood up and ran my hands through my hair again as she stepped back with her mouth opened slightly.

I turned to her and asked, "Are _you _ok?"

She closed her mouth and nodded quickly. I stepped around her and made my way back to the door, only turning around to look at her one last time before I opened the door with a smirk on my face and walked out.

_'Humans are too easy_.'

I saw the human male still sitting in the same seat as before, but saw that his food had been cleared away and his water had been replenished. Either he wasn't that hungry, or he was a fast eater, didn't matter, I was only planning on snacking anyways. Humans tasted funny after they ate, that's why I usually tried to nab them as they were walking intoa bar, and not after.

His head was once again hung over his drink as I approached him. I stopped less than a foot away and asked, "Mind if I join you?" adding a soft smile to my face as he looked up from his water. His eyes widened as he took in my appearance. He stared at me for a minute before nodding his head quickly.

"Please," he croaked before taking a long pull from the glass in front of him.

I sat down gracefully and studied his face. Brown eyes, curly brown hair, a small clef in his chin, all around, not a bad looking human. Actually he sort of reminded me of Emmett, but an alive version of him, except that he wasn't nearly the size of Emmett, just some similar facial features.

"I'm Bella," I said softly.

"Ben," he whispered still staring at me. He looked awestruck, and it was actually kind of cute, but in a annoying way.

He blinked and cleared his throat. "Umm, I don't mean to be rude but, why did you want to join me?" His voice was a nice baritone, but sounded flat.

_'Because you are the only one in here worth eating_,' I thought.

I shrugged my shoulders, "You looked down and lonely, just thought I would come over to say hi. I could leave if you wanted me to." I made sure to turn my body away so it looked like I was getting up.

I felt his hand on my right forearm. "No, I...was just surprised, that's all," he said removing his hand.

I turned back to him. "It's not everyday a beautiful woman asks to sit with you," he said grinning sheepishly. I knew I had him then.

"And what if this beautiful woman asked you to go for a walk?" I asked. He coughed a little and took another sip from his water.

"Uh, yeah.....ok, yeah!" he said straightening up a bit smoothing some nonexistent wrinkles out of this shirt front. I moved to stand and watched as he stood up and tossed some money on the table.

I extended my right arm and asked, "Shall we?"

He hesitantly took my hand and I proceeded to exit the bar. My strength was beginning to wane, and I needed to feed.

"What's that?" he asked pointing with his free hand to the bandage on my wrist.

"New tattoo," I said nonchalantly.

"Oh, cool."

_'Sucker_.'

We stepped out into the cool night and I quickly pulled him along.

"Uh, where are we going?" he asked.

"Just around the block," I said casually.

As soon as we rounded the corner, I scanned the area for any signs of life.

_'All clear, operation Feed Bella, can now commence_,' I thought with a smirk as I stopped and looked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I breathed as I stepped closer to him and inhaled, closing my eyes in the process. He stiffened as I did this, and dropped my hand. I felt my mouth start to water as I breathed him in. His blood smelled different, clean, pure, innocent. I wasn't sure I could stop myself from snacking on him, he just smelled, too damn good.

"Bella, are you alright?" he asked tilting his head to the side and placing both hands on my shoulders.

"Mmhhmm," I mumbled stepping even closer to him. I opened my eyes and saw the jugular vein in the side of his **(neck) **straining slightly. I could hear his heart beating faster, and his breathing had become slightly erratic. My strength to hold my vampiric nature at bay was officially gone if Ben here was reacting like this, and I realized I didn't care.

_'Fuck, I'm hungry_!'

I licked my lips as I watched Ben swallow convulsively. I started raising my hand to the back of his neck when I heard _someone_ growling behind me. I ignored them and continued until my hand grasped the back of Ben's head and tilited it slightly to the left. The growling grew louder as I reached up and placed a soft kiss to the pulse on Ben's neck. I felt his body relax against me as I parted my lips against his skin and sucked it in. I was so lost in the taste of his skin, that I didn't even realize it when he was suddenly pulled from me.

I blinked at the wall in front of me, which was now void of my snack.

_'You have _got_ to be kidding me_?' I thought in frustration.

I turned around to find Ben nowherein sight, but found Edward there instead.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Bella, we need to talk."

"Fuck talking. I'm hungry, and since you have robbed me of my snack, I need to go find another one," I said walking around him, but he caught my arm and slammed me against the wall causing the brick and mortar to crack slightly. He closed the gap in mere nanoseconds and placed both arms against the wall, one on either side of my head. I glared at him as he stared down at me.

"Bella, we need to talk," Edward said again.

"Yeah, heard that. Not interested in talking on an empty stomach," I said.

"You want blood? Fine," he said ripping at the collar of his shirt. The cloth peeled away to reveal more of Edward's body than I had ever seen, and my body reacted to it. The smooth hardness of his chest made my mouth water even more than Ben's scent did. The swell of his pecs as they rose and fell with each breath that he took had me completely captivated. Each ripple of his abs made things low in my body tighten even more.

_'Umm....umm.......Uhhh_?'

I tore my gaze away from the delicious flesh in front of me and looked up to see that Edward was smirking at me.

That kinda pissed me off.

"What now? Vampire blood won't sate my hunger," I snapped.

"No?" he asked moving closer, forcing me against the wall harder. "No" I breathed, because that was all my mind could come up withat this very second. He closed the gap between us and pressed every inch of his body into mine.

"There are other hungers, Bella," Edward said in a voice so husky, my lower body clenched in anticipation.

_'Fuck, what _is _this_?'

The feeling of his chest against mine made my nipples harden instantly and I felt his chest rumble in soft laughter. I glared up at him again and moved my hands between our bodies to push him away from me, but as soon as my hands touched the smooth hardness of his chest, electricity sang through my system and my breathing hitched.

When I looked up at him, I found his eyes boring into mine with an intensity I had never seen before and I was officially done trying to move away. He bent his head down as I angled mine toward his. My gaze flicked to his lips then back into his eyes, and I licked my lips. Edward's eyes followed the movement, I felt his hand weave through my hair, moving my head closer to his. His lips hovered over mine, and I felt his breath wash over me as he whispered, "Bella," then he gently pressed his lips to mine. Our lips moved slowly at first against one another, hesitantly. His lips were still just as full, soft and kissable as I remembered, and when he drew my lower lip in between his and swept his tongue across it, my walls crashed and I fell against his body. My hands moved slowly up his chest and encircled his neck as my lips drank in his taste.

_'Oh God, help me_!'

Edward pulled back slightly and whispered against my lips, "He's not here, I am," and pressed his lips to mine once more.

My lips became frantic against his as I clutched at his neck. His tongue swept my bottom lip once more and I moaned against him, parting my lips. Edward took the opportunity and dove in. His tongue met mine in a sensual dance, slow, as if he were savoring my taste. It was soft against mine and I moaned once more from the feeling of it. We had never kissed this way before, and I felt myself drunk from the sweet taste of his mouth, and his body pressing mine into the wall behind me. I felt his other arm snake around my waist and lift me slightly; so I took the opportunity and wrapped my legs around his waist. I could feel the hardness of his body pressing into mine and it made me cry out, ripping my lips from his. We stared at each other for a handful of seconds before I looked down at his neck and licked my lips.

"Do it, " Edward said panting.

I hesitated at first looking from his neck to his eyes. They still held the same intensity, but suddenly I was unsure if I should did this. This was said to be an intimate act between mates of our kind, and Edward and I had never _really_ been intimate with one another. Except for maybe ten seconds ago, and I was confused as to if we should be this way now. There was still too much that needed to be explained and worked through, and I wasn't sure if we were ready for this. Even though it felt natural to kiss him again, and be around him, there was still that tear in my heart that he had put there when he left. I wasn't about to let that hole get torn open again, not after everything I had been through, and everything Jasper had taught me.

Feeling my walls build back up, I shook my head. "I can't do this," I whispered dropping my hands away from his neck and letting them fall to my sides.

"Dammit Bella. Don't pull away from me. If you want to know what happened and what I felt then you'll do this."

I shook my head again. "It doesn't work that way. I can't get your memories Edward. Our blood reacts differently to our kind. I will only be able to recieve your abilities, nothing more."

"Only if I will them to you through my blood, that's how Aro was able to get yours. You willed him your power through your blood; the same can be done with memories," Edward said as he stared intently in my eyes. They were pleading with me to believe him.

"Ok," was all I said as I moved my arms once more around his neck and decended my lips to his skin..

At first contact, my lips stung. That same electricity was dancing between my lips and his skin. I parted my lips slightly against his neck and slowly licked the vein that was just below the surface. I felt Edward's arms tighten around my waist, letting a groan escape him. The taste of his skin was sinful to say the least and my mouth locked onto his neck pulling the skin in and sucking slightly. His grasp tightened even more at this and I grazed my teeth gently along the skin, licking his neck twice more before I bit down.

"Oh God," Edward moaned.

I pulled back slightly and whispered, "He's not here, I am," before moving back in and biting down hard.

Edward hissed as my teeth pierced his skin and at the first rush of his blood I moaned low in my throat. Each pull from my mouth brought more and more of Edward's blood into me, and after the third, his memories stared to surface behind my eyelids. The first thing I saw was the last day we had been together and at that I pulled back, letting his blood spill slightly out of my mouth before swallowing the last gulp. I felt my head hang back as my arms loosened slightly and then I felt my body starting to fall.

It was as if I was falling through clouds, soft and touchable, and each cloud I fell through held a different memory. The first of course had been the last day we had been together, but what was new was that I was seeing what happened after he had walked away. He raced off into the woods as soon as he cleared the tree line that lined the meadow, and after about five hundred yards he stopped.

**EDWARD'S FIRST MEMORY**

"You guys can come out now, she won't be able to hear you," Edward said bowing his head.

Two figures appeared from behind two trees and stepped forward as Edward lifted his head. There stood Jasper and Jacob.

"Why?" Jasper asked.

"What I am about to tell you can not be repeated to another being, alive or dead," Edward said looking at both men.

"Ok," Jasper and Jacob said in unison.

"No, promise me."

"I promise," Jasper said.

Edward looked at Jacob next. "Yeah, I promise, but you need to know, that what you are doing is going to destroy her," Jacob said crossing his arms over his chest.

"I know that _mutt. _But if I don't, I'll kill her, and we all know that's the last thing I want to do."

Edward sighed and leaned against the nearest tree. His face clearly showing signs of sadness.

"I found out recently that I have gained a new ability."

Jasper's eyebrows rose at Edward's comment. "And?" Jasper asked.

"I can erase people's memories," Edward said flatly.

"That's great! Erase Bella's memory of you, and then she and I can be together," Jacob said in excited tones.

"It's not that simple," Edward said.

"How so?" Jasper asked.

"You know I have never been capable of reading Bella's thoughts; I cannot breech her mind to do it. And I have _tried_ with Fido here, but he seems immune to it. I also tried with Charlie once, but it didn't seem to work on him either. The only person that I was successful with, was Victoria."

"First off, I resent the Fido comment. Second, what the hell does that mean exactly?" Jacob asked.

"It means--" Edward started, but Jasper beat him to it. "It means, that he can only erase a vampire's mind, not a human's and obviously not a werevolves." Edward nodded at Jasper's statement.

"Ok, so where are you going with this?" Jacob asked.

Edward sighed again, and Jasper sent out a wave of calm towards him, and Edward visibly relaxed.

"Thanks. About a month after Bella's accident in Phoenix, Alice got a vision, a rather disturbing but fascinating one. In her vision, she saw a flash of what Bella would look like if she were to become one of us, and what her potential powers might be and there are several. One would be that she is a shield, which would make sense as to why I cannot read her thoughts. Another one, would be that she could combine her ability as a shield with another, by a simple touch, but that through that touch, she can gain the others' ability as well if she wants to. And lastly, and this is the one that scares me the most, is that she _will_ gain the ability to practically shut off her basic vampiric nature, meaning she could shut down her blood lust and almost look human," Edward said.

"Whydoes that last one scare you?" Jasper asked.

"Because, that's all I have ever wanted, especially when it comes to Bella. And think of it this way, if this information were to ever fall into the Volturi's hands, Bella would be killed or worse, and that's not something I want. Aro would change her in a heartbeat if he knew that Bella could wield such power. She would be his ultimate weapon," Edward replied.

"But you tasted her blood in Pheonix, and you didn't seem to change at all. Who's to say it would happen?" Jasper asked.

"First off, I don't think it would have, because her blood was filled will James' venom, and then after that, it was tainted with morphine. It needs to be pure, and if I were to taste her now, I don't think I could stop myself."

"Why's that?" Jacob asked.

"She's his singer; her blood calls to him. To Edward, her blood is the sweetest thing he would ever taste, and he doesn't think he would be able to stop himself if he were to lose control. Think of Bella's blood as heroine, and it's Edward's exact brand. That's how we lost Emmett. He killed his singer, and then disappeared. We haven't seen him in quite some time now," Jasper answered.

"Oh," Jacob said unfolding his arms and sitting down on the ground. "So what do you want from us?"

Edward sank to the ground against the tree and looked at both Jasper and Jacob, despair was clearly shown.

"You need to promise me to take care of Bella while I am gone. _When_ she does happen to be changed, and truthfully, it better be by someone she knows," looking at Jasper when he said this, "that you guys will protect her with your lives. Meaning, if the Volturi _do_ catch wind of this, that you guys will move her to a safe location. I don't care how many times it takes, just keep her safe. And if she is changed, I will come back and explain everything to her. You two need to promise to me that you will never tell her of this."

Jasper and Jacob looked at each for a handful of seconds and then said, "I promise."

"Good, then Jacob, make sure Sam is the one that finds Bella," Edward said standing up, dusting off the back of this jeans.

"Why?" Jacob whined.

"Just do it," Edward growled.

"Fine," Jacob said getting up and walking off.

After Edward was sure Jacob was gone he turned to Jasper with a sad smile upon his face.

"What about me?" Jasper asked.

"You are going to show her that it's ok to love again. Give her time, but be there for her as a best friend. You will most likely be the one to change her, though I am not all that thrilled about the idea, but Alice will be there to help you."

"Speaking of Alice, where does she stand in all this?" Jasper asked.

"I have already taken care of that and wiped out any possibility to see that _ever_ again. She will never know of Bella's powers, and you will never tell her either."

Edward started to walk away leaving Jasper behind.

"I know this is killing you, what you're doing. I can feel it Edward, the pain you are going through right now, it's terrible. How can you stand it?" Jasper asked.

"I have to," Edward said in a quiet voice as he started to walk away.

"Hey Edward?" Edward stopped and turned around.

"Are you sure you would kill her if you just had a taste? I mean, if her blood does hold the ability to shut off the blood lust and all that stuff, why wouldn't you be able to stop?"

"Because in the vision that Alice had of that, Bella doesn't want to me to." And with that Edward took off leaving Jasper behind.

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_**A/N: So now, you know what happened that day in the meadow, if you want more of Edward's memories, I hate to say this, but I need some love here people. I need at least 7 reviews for this chapter. So, it's up to my readers if I should contiue or not. **_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: So, I didn't get my 7 reviews, but I did get some new readers, so I am happy that you guys enjoyed my last chapter. I was honestly scared that you guys wouldn't like the blood-play thing, but like I said, it was necessary to Edward's explanation. Many of you said that the chapter was 'AWESOME", and I greatly appreciate that. So here's the next chapter, and more of Edward's memories. As always, my Beta Fate Lowe rocks!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the plot.**_

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It still felt like I was falling, but I was still aware of my surroundings, and I knew it was Edward's arms that were holding me. What had me confused, was that we were no longer outside, but inside one of the hotel rooms. I could hear voices around me, asking if I was ok, but it was only Edward's that I recognized.

"She's fine, but she is sort of trapped right now in the memories. She won't come to, until they have run their course."

I fell into another memory then, but it wasn't just one, it was several at once, and it bowed my back and I felt myself gasping for air. I fought to rid myself of the memories, but Edward's grip on me tighten as he whispered, "It's alright Bella, don't fight them. Let them come to you." And with that I felt myself relax and let myself fall.

There were several faces scattered around me; they all looked somewhat familiar, but I knew I didn't know any of them. Four females stood in front of me in a line, all pretty in their own way, but as I looked at the last girl in the line, I noticed that she looked more familiar to me than the others, but I couldn't figure out why.

I walked up to the first girl and noticed something odd about her features. We were the same height and body build, nothing really weird there. Her hair was a caramel color, her eyes were a light hazel with small flecks of brown in them, her lips were full and soft looking, but when I stood back and looked at her face as a whole, I gasped. It was the same shape as mine, heart-shaped.

_Interesting_.

I moved onto the second girl and her hair was the first thing I saw. Nothing else, just her hair. Its color matched my own. Mahogany brown. I reached up and ran my fingers through it. Soft, just like mine. I stepped back and looked at her her face and noted that her eyes were similar to the first girl, but that they were a darker shade of hazel, with more brown in them. When I looked again, I saw that her face had indeed the same heart-shape as mine as well.

_Ok. Hmm_.

When I moved onto the third girl, I immediately saw that she had the same heart-shape face, and the same color hair, her eyes were notably more brown, but when I got to her lips, I noticed that were very much the same as mine. Her lower lip was just a little too full to match her top lip.

_Ok, this is getting weird_.

Moving onto the last girl in the line, I notice all the same features as before: hair color, lips, heart-shaped face. Each girl had one more strikingly similar feature than the girl before her. But it was this last girl that really took my breath away. Her eyes. They were the _exact_ same chocolate brown that mine had been when I washuman. I stumbled back and _really_ looked at her, and that's when I realized why she looked so familiar, she had been my last female victim. The resemblance between herself and I was almost scary, she could easily pass for my sister, if I had ever had one.

Suddenly puzzled, I stepped back and looked at each female in turn, noting their similarities, and when I got to the last female who I had known through her blood, it dawned on me. Every single one of these girls had a feature that was the same as one of my own. But why? Could this mean that Edward had been searching for me all these years and had found a girl that reminded him of me?

"Yes," Edward whispered.

I blinked and the memory faded and I found myself staring at Edward's beautiful face. Some of my hair had fallen over my face and Edward smoothed it away.

"I'm confused," I said moving away from him slightly. I looked around me and noticed we were sitting on the floor of the hotel room. I shifted in his arms again, and as his grip loosened**. **I moved to stand up, leaving Edward sitting on the floor at me feet. His head hung as he clasped his hands in his lap.

"What does this all mean Edward?" I asked pacing in front of him. Edward sighed and looked up at my pacing form.

"It means my subconscious was looking for you, seeking you out, even though I told myself to just leave you alone so you could be happy," he whispered, his voice was shaking slightly.

I stopped and looked at him. "How do you know that I wasn't happy with you? You didn't give me the chance to prove it you. Here, all this time, I thought I wasn't good enough for you, not pretty enough, not special enough. I always knew I didn't deserve you, and you walking away from me proved me right," I said.

"That's not it Bella and you know that. How many times did I tell you that your were, I mean, are the most beautiful creature that I have ever laid eyes on? I just thought you deserved better than me, someone who could give you a normal human life. Marriage, kids, you deserved all those things, and I knew I couldn't give them to you, at least the kids part," Edward said. He stood up gracefully as if pulled by invisible strings and stared at me.

"Who the fuck do you think you are deciding my future for me?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest. I could feel my eyes changing as the anger took over me.

"I was just trying to do what I thought was best for you," Edward said.

_'Indeed_,' I thought.

"What about what I thought? Hmm? Did you ever think for one second to pull your head out of your ass and ask me what I wanted?" I asked gritting my teeth.

_'Asshole!'_

"No. I just wanted to do right by you. I wanted you to be able to have all those things I couldn't give you. I wanted you to be happy," Edward replied.

_'That's it_!'

I punched him before he could blink and he flew through the air and crashed into the wall denting it. He crumbled to the floor and blinked at me, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as I walked over to him.

"How dare you? I _was_ perfectly happy with you, and you tossed me away like yesterday's leftovers. You wanted me to be happy? You should have stayed and let the chips fall where they may," I seethed.

He jumped up and took a hold of my shoulders. "I would have killed you."

I glared at him. "So? I would have died happy in the arms of the man I loved. Is that such a horrible way to die?" I shrugged his arms off of me and walked over to the bed, sitting at the end of it.

I felt the bed sink next to me and heard Edward sigh. "You knew what my blood could do, why didn't you just try?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You know why," Edward replied taking my hands in his. "You heard it in the memory, you wouldn't have wanted me to stop."

I stared at his hands holding mine. It always felt right when we held hands, and tonight was no different. "What took you so long? I mean, why 80 years?"

Edward sighed as his thumbs drew lazy circles over the back of my hands. "Can I ask you a question first, before I tell you why?" he asked softly.

"Ok." I scooted back onto the bed and drew Edward back with me, arranging us so that we were facing one another.

"When were you changed?"

I had been waiting for this question. "On my 18th birthday," I said flatly looking at our hands.

"What happened?" he asked placing a finger under my chin and lifting my head so that I could look him in the eye.

"Jasper thought it would be fun if we took a ride together," I started.

"A ride?" Edward asked raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, when you left, I went a little wild, doing things I normally wouldn't do. Jacob had taught me how to ride a motorcycle--"

"Stupid _mutt_!" Edward said sharply.

"Can I finish?" I asked glaring at him.

"Sorry," he said smiling.

"Anyways, Jasper bought me a Ducati for my birthday, and--" Edward dropped my hands and jumped off the bed. "I'll kill him!" he fumed.

Edward was heading toward the door and about to rip it off the hinges, when I jumped up off the bed and tackled him against the door. I whipped him around and shoved his back against the door. "You'll do no such thing, asshole. He earned his right to be inmy life, and you haven't," I said glaring at him. Edward's face crumbled slightly and I added, "And if you want to earn that right, then you will sit back down on that bed and let me finish." I stepped away from him and watched as he walked around me and sat down on the bed, resting against the headboard.

_'God, men can be so insufferable_!' I thought.

I made my over to the bed and sat in front of him. "Now, where was I before I was so rudely interrupted?"

"Jasper bought you a new bike," Edward said gritting his teeth.

"Yes, and what a fucking awesome bike it was!"

"Was?" Edward asked.

"Are you done?" I asked cocking an eyebrow at him. Edward held his hands up in surrender, then placed them behind his head.

"Yes was, and I will get to that. Anyways, we were riding around Forks, just enjoying the scenery and letting me get a feel for the bike. Jasper was riding a little ahead of me and we were taking a hard curve, so he disappeared for a second. When I stared rounding the curve, my front tire snagged something in the road and it threw me off the bike. At the time, I didn't know how far I had been thrown, but when I looked up I saw Jasper racing back toward me. I tried sitting up, to remove my helmet, but my body didn't seem to be working."

I stared down at my hands and felt Edward crawl toward me. I closed my eyes for a second and felt him place his hands on my knees. "What happened next?" he asked, his voice quivering.

I took in a much needed breath, and continued. "I saw Jasper lay his bike down, whipping off his helmet and racing over to me. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I saw his mouth moving, asking if I was ok, but I couldn't speak. He gently removed my helmet and gasped. I don't know what he saw, but he jumped back slightly and pulled his cellphone out and called someone. I could smell theblood, and must have passed out, because the next thing I knew, I was at your house, and Carisle was looking me over. I saw everyone around me, Esme, Alice, Jacob and Jasper, and they all had the same grief stricken look on their faces. I don't know what happened after that, only that when I opened my eyes again, I was a vampire. Carisle later explained that I had been thrown into a tree and it caused major internal bleeding, a couple of broken ribs, broke my right leg and arm, and a severe laceration across the side of my neck, and that I wouldn't have made it in time if they raced me to the hospital. So, he said that Jasper changed me."

I felt tears leaking from my eyes as I remembered that fateful day. I had always wanted Edward to be the one who changed me, but after he left, I never thought about becoming one of them. When I looked up at Edward, he looked confused. "What?"

"How are you crying? Vampires can't cry," he asked wiping away my tears.

I snorted. "Well, this vampire can," I said wiping the rest of my tears away. I smoothed my hair back away from my face and looked at Edward who still lookedconfused.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said and stood up from the bed, but I snagged his hand. He peered down at my hand holding his, then at me, and smiled.

"Where are you going? You still owe me an explanation, don't think for one second that I forgot," I said tugged him back down.

"I haven't forgot. I was just going to take a shower, and truthfully so should you. You still have specks of blood in your hair; I can smell it."

"Oh," I said letting go of his hand.

I watched as he walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and turned on the water. After two minutes someone knocked on my door. I huffed and got off of the bed. I opened the door to see Jasper standing there with a small duffel bag. I smiled when I saw him and motioned for him to come in.

"Are you alright?" he asked setting down the duffle bag on the bed.

"Seeing as Edward robbed me of my food, but provided me some answers, I guess I'm ok," I said honestly.

Jasper stared at the floor. "Are you mad at me for keeping this from you all these years?" I walked toward him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders hugging him to me, and after a second he encircled my waist with his. I rested my head on his shoulder and breathed him in. He still smelled like home to me; I could never be mad at him for very long. I just shook my head and felt him release a wave of calm over me. I sagged against him and let him hold me. He pulled back slightly and kissed my forehead. I smiled lazily into his shoulder.

_'I hate him when he does that_,' I thought.

"No you don't. You enjoy it, what are best friends for?" he asked with his lips still pressed against my forehead.

"And if I didn't know any better, I would say you could read thoughts like Edward can," I said pulling back and letting my arms drop so that they rested on his upper arms.

"Nope, I can feel your annoyance towards me," he said smiling.

"If you were anyone else Jasper, I would come out there right now and kill you!" Edward yelled over the noise of the shower.

Jasper turned his head and yelled, "That may be true, but your welcome anyways." Jasper turned back and smiled down at me again. "There are clothes for both of you in the bag. Alice said it's supposed to be overcast tomorrow, so we're leaving around 11am."

I nodded and stepped back. He kissed me again on my forehead and moved toward the door. With his hand on the doorknob he turned and said, "I'm just next door, holler if you need me." And with that he opened the door and left.

When the door clicked softly, I heard the water turn off and suddenly became slightly nervous. Edward was in the bathroom, naked, and that was something I had never seen before. Should I knock on the door and give him his clothes through a tiny crack in the door? Should I just sit on the bed with my back to the bathroom door, and wait for him to be fully dressed before I turned around? Yes, that was exactly what I was going to do.

'_Gah! Why am I so nervous? Oh yeah, cause I'm almost a 100 years old, and I've never even been to second base. Loser.'_

I sat on the edge of the bed with my back to the bathroom door and stared at the closed curtain window. I heard the door open and held my breath as I heard Edward walk softly into the room. I straightened as I felt the bed dip, but relaxed when I heard the duffel bag opening.

_'Edward is standing behind me, naked, hopefully in a towel, but naked nonetheless_,' I thought.

My mouth watered slightly as I remembered what his chest looked like. Remembering the feeling of his body pressed up against mine, made my body tightenagain. I stood quickly from the bed and raced into the bathroom closing the door behind me with a sigh as I leaned back against the door.

'_Damn my teenage hormones!' _

* * *

After thoroughly washing my hair and body, I turned off the water and stepped out. Quickly drying myself with the annoyingly little hotel towels that were provided, I realized that in my hasty getaway, I had neglected to retrieve any of the clothes that Jasper had brought for me.

"Shit!" I whispered loudly.

"Bella? Everything ok?" Edward said through the door.

"Uh, yeah, I just forgot my clothes, and these towels are too small," I said looking around the bathroom. I was about to put my dirty clothes back on, when I heard a knock at the door.

"Can I come in?" Edward asked. I saw the doorknob turning, so I dropped the clothes mid-motion and grabbed the first towel I saw, quickly covering my front.

The door creaked open and Edward's head came into view. "Are you decent?" he asked with his eyes closed. I checked over myself to make sure I was completely covered, and said, "As decent as this hotel towel will allow."

Edward opened his eyes and opened the door further. He was dressed in plain blue jeans and a black t-shirt, and had a bundle of clothes in his hand. He smiled when he saw me, just standing here holding a towel longways to cover my front from just above my breasts to mid-thigh.

"What?" I asked.

I watched as he walked further into the bathroom and set the clothes on the sink, not saying one word. I watched his eyes shift for a second then settle back on my face, smirking.

"What?" I asked watching him move back out of the room.

"Nice ass," he chuckled and closed the door.

I stood there for a second dumbfounded, and looked down at myself. My front was covered, how in the hell had he seen my ass? I looked around the bathroom and found my answer. The mirror. The way I had been standing, there was a clear view of my backside in the mirror.

"Dammit!" I yelled. I got dressed quickly and exited the bathroom to find Edward lounging in the bed with his eyes closed.

"Don't be soshocked Bella. I'm sure Jasper has seen much more than I just did."

"Not that itis any of your business, but Jasper has never seen one intimate inch of my body," I said placing my hands on my hips in annoyance.

Edward opened his eyes and stared at me as if saying, _'Yeah, ok.' _

"I'm serious. Jasper and I were never lovers." Edward cocked his eyebrows at this. "Never? But I thought?"

I walked over and sat on the end of the bed with my back to him. "You thought wrong, as usual. Other than affection and a couple of kisses, we were never intimate with each other. I never wanted Jasper in that way," I said twisting my fingers around my damp hair.

The bed moved and I felt Edward pull me back into his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my right shoulder. "You've never had a lover?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head softly. "Have you?" I asked.

_'Please say no. Please say no.'_

"No. Like you, I was affectionate and shared a couple of kisses, but I never wanted any of them like that. There is only one person that I have ever wanted in that way," he said moving my hair away from my neck.

"And...who...might that be?" I asked.

"You," he whispered placing a feather-soft kiss on the side of my neck had just beenexposed.

I melted into his embrace as he continued to place soft open mouthed kisses up and down the side of my neck. A rush of warmth spread throughout my body as Edward's tongue sensually lapped at my skin, causing me to moan softly in turn as I closed my eyes.

_'Good God that feels good!'_

I felt his hands release my waist, but moved slowly up my sides, over my ribs until they rested under each breast. The sensation caused my nipples to harden. We had never done this before, and though I was slightly nervous, the delicious feeling of his tongue and lips against my neck and his thumbs that were now moving slowly back and forth under my breast caused that nervousness to ebb. I moaned again as Edward's teeth grazed the back of my neck.

Desire coursed through my veins as I brought my hands behind me and buried them into his hair, tugging lightly. Edward growled deep in his chest, sending vibrations against my back, which in turn caused me to shudder.

_'_This_ is what I have been missing?_' I thought.

I felt a hardness against my lower back as Edward ground his hips against me. I had never felt _that_ before, and I moaned at the sensation, grinding my hips back against him.

"Bella.." Edward whispered as his thumb grazed lightly over my harden peaks. I gasped at the feeling, it was positively sinful.

_'Waited 80 years to feel this. Waited. 80 years.'_

That thought snapped me out of the desire that had taken over my senses.

"Edward wait," I said breathing heavily.

"What's wrong, love?" Edward asked still softly kissing my neck.

I removed my hands from his hair and struggled out of his arms. He reluctantly let me go with a slight growl of annoyance. I stood up from the bed and turned to face him.

"You still owe me an explanation!"

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_**A/N: So, what do you guys think? Reviews are appreciated, and I usually respond!!**_


	12. Chapter 12 AN: please read

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A/N: Sorry guys that this isn't Ch 12, but after rereading this chapter this morning, I found that I had messed up the timeline and a few details. My OCD will not let me continue on unless I fix this problem first. So the timeline as it stands now, is that Edward found out she was alive 25 years after after he left, not 45 like originally stated. Remember, he came back the night Bella met Emmett, and that was 35 years ago in my story. If I let the chapter remain as is, that would mean that Edward found out that she was alive that very same night and that doesn't make any sense when calculating in his meditative time of 20 years. So I corrected my error, sorry again. My Beta Fate Lowe is one Awesome chick!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Bella's strong personality.

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Edward looked at me with a pleading look in his eye as if saying '_Please don't make me say this'_, but I was having none of that bullshit. I had almost let him seduce me into a mindless ball of hormones, and while I wouldn't have minded it, I still deserved answers about his whereabouts for the past 80 years.

I looked down at him as he hung his head in defeat and let out of loud sigh. "Where should I begin?" he mumbled.

"Wherever necessary," I offered pulling the chair from the corner and placing it in front of the bed where he sat.

He stared at me with a sad smile and sighed again. Hours seem to pass as he stared at me, though it was only a handful of minutes. No doubt trying to figure out how to start this conversation.

I huffed in slight annoyance. "It's not rocket science Edward, but if we are going to try and be together again, I need to know why it took you _so long_ to come back to me. How did you even know I was alive?"

Edward snorted softly, "That's an easy question to answer. I didn't, at least for the first twenty-five years or so. Though, I knew that if something _bad_ were to ever happen to you, I hoped that Jasper would keep his word to keep you safe, and he did." He smiled at this last part, because he knew that Jasper had in fact kept his word to keep me safe.

"So what happened after you found out I was still alive, er undead, or whatever?" I asked softly.

The same sad smile appeared once again on his face and I almost wanted to slap it off of him and say '_Snap out of it!'_,but I didn't. This was obviously something he was stuggling with and even though I was almost crazy with need to find out every little secret, I remained patient for him to explain.

"I waged a crazy mental war with myself, of course," he said wistfully hanging his head down.

"And?"

"And I was so....so......"

"Relieved?" I offered.

Edward slowly looked up at me and smiled. "Yes, relieved is one feeling I had, but it was more than that. I was happy, elated, overjoyed. Pick a positive feeling; I had them all. But I was worried as well. Worried that you wouldn't want to see me, let alone talk to me. I was scared too. Scared that you would never forgive me for the sins I had committed against you. I wanted to be forgiven; I wanted that more than anything. I wanted absolution and I knew that if you were to ever forgive me for my sins, I had to forgive myself first."

"And did you? Forgive yourself, I mean?" I asked uncrossing my legs and scooting to the end of the chair. I had to get closer to him, even if by me moving to sit on the end of the chair. I had to will myself still or all would be lost and I wouldn't get the answers my heart and soul so desparately needed. I knew if my skin touched his one more time, I would forgive him, even if a part of me already had. He had kept his promise to Jasper that he would come back and explain and he was doing it now. That meant something to me; I would give him this chance.

"After a two decades, yes," he said quietly.

My eyebrows shot up. "Two decades?"

Edward's intense gaze locked with mine and he nodded slowly.

"And how did you come to your forgiveness?" I asked.

"I spent about five years in seclusion, then went to Thailand."

"Thailand?" I asked. My curiosity had been peaked again.

"I went to a Buddhist temple and meditated for fifteen years," he said matter-of-factly.

I choked on my own saliva. "Fifteen years? How did you manage that?"

"Carlisle knows most of the monks at the temple I went to. He has helped them in the past, and theysaid that if he or any of his family ever needed anything, to just show up. So I did. They knew exactly what and who I was the moment they opened the door. They weren't afraid or prejudiced, or anything. The monks gave me my own room and when I asked about _food_, they smiled and told me where the best place was to go," he said smiling.

"So what happened after you had absolved yourself?" I asked leaning back in the chair. I was afraid if I moved any closer to him, that I would have fallen out of the chair.

__

'Yeah, cause that would have been graceful!'

I thought.

"I began another sort of internal battle," he said flatly.

I cocked an eyebrow urging him to go on. Edward sighed, running a hand through hishair again and repositioned himself on the bed so that he was now sitting on the edge closest to me.

"I debated for several years as to how I was going to confront you, beg you to forgive me for my horrible mistake. But I knew, with every fiber of my being that if I had stayed all those years ago, I _would_ have killed you, and that was something I was not going to let happen. Your anger be damned. I would rather you hate me and still exist, then exist in a world without you."

I smiled at his sentiment, and waited for him to continue. He drew in a shaky breath and let it out slowly, as if preparing himself for his next words. A tight crease began to form in the middle of his forehead and to me that signaled something bad.

"After several arguments with myself, I actually did come back to see you," he said softly, and my eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

Edward nodded slowly. "The night you and Emmett leveled that building going after Jane was the night; I came back. I must say, I was surprise to see Emmett with you and the way the two of you interacted with one another. At first, I was jealous at the thought that he had stolen you from me, but as I watched, in absolute awe of your ability I might add, I realized that my jealousy was unjust. The way you two looked at each other after you leveled the building was hilarious. The two of you seemed almost giddy with excitement." Edward laughed softly to himself as he spoke.

To say that I was annoyed at this, was an understatement, and Edward noticed the stiffness in my shoulders. He shifted off of the bed so that he was kneeling in front of me, hands on both of the arms of the chair, but I scooted back from him. I wasn't ready for him to touch me again just yet. He noticed that too and stayed in his position.

I continued to glare at him as he said, "I'm sorry Bella. I don't mean to laugh, but that is a fond memory for me. The look you had on your face that night was beautiful. You looked totally free and uninhibited. You looked as though you _had_ moved on. I wasn't about to step in and make my presence known, not when you looked so carefree."

__

'But I hadn't moved on, not really

,' I thought to myself.

I let his words fly around inside my head and decided that I wasn't exactly sure what I would have done if he _had_ in fact made his presence known that night. I could have had Emmett kick the shit out of him, but I guess some small part of me still wanted the honor of doing that myself.

"So you're the reason Jane lost her memory of that night?" I asked finally softening my glare.

"Yes. It is an ability that definitely came in handy that night," Edward replied smiling softly.

"And when did you gain said ability?"

Edward moved so he was leaning back on the balls of his feet at the bottom of the bed with his back leaning against it and ran his fingers through his hair. I actually remembered this gesture, as he would do it when he was thinking hard. It brought a smile to my face remembering it. Edward noticed my smile. "What?"

"Nothing. I just forgot that you have this habit of running your fingers through your hair when you are thinking hard," I replied gesturing at the hand that had now stopped. He looked at his hand and slowly dropped it to his side.

"Old habits die hard."

"I know," I said softly.

We sat there in silence for a handful of minutes just staring at one another. "So, your ability? Are you gonna tell me how it came to light?" I asked.

Edward smiled sheepishly, "Oh yeah. Well, I am not sure how it happened exactly. But what I do know, is that that day in the ballet studio while you were unconscious and we had James restrained, I just kept thinking, 'Forget her. Forget what you know about Bella.' I didn't want his last thoughts to be of you. It was weird, because his eyes sort of glazed over and then they cleared and he looked at me and said, 'Hey, still up for that game of baseball?' I knew then that something had happened, cause he only seemed to remember the last time he saw me. I actually asked him a few questions about you and he kept asking who you were and sayingthat he had no idea what I was talking about. I didn't have to worry about anything after that cause we dismembered him shortly after and you were safe."

"How did Alice not know this was going to happen?" I asked.

"Oh she did. Once we arrived back to Forks she wouldn't leave me alone. I didn't have any answers for her, at least none that she wanted to hear and then she got the vision of you. I knew then that I had to make her forget what she saw and anything that pertained to you possibly changing. So we went hunting one night and the entire time I just kept thinking, 'Forget your vision about Bella being one of us. Forget about her changing, forget about her potential powers. You will never get another vision about Bella being one of us again.' It worked, a little too quickly and easily I might add, maybe it was because the vision was so fresh and new in her mind, but I also knew that if the Volturi ever got wind of you that you would either die by their hands, or be changed against your will. That wasn't something I wanted to happen. Jasper changed you because you were dying and he promised me that he would keep you safe. Changing you fulfilled part of that promise to me and I will be forever thankful to him for basically giving me the chance to right all the wrongs I have done to you."

Edward shifted toward me and gently took my hands in his. "Bella, please believe that I honestly thought I was doing right by you. I never meant for any of this to happen the way it did. I wanted you to be happy; I know now that you were happy. But I wasn't going to let your stubborn ways kill you, not if I had the chance to save you from yourself. Like I said before, your anger be damned. I would suffer through your anger for all eternity if it meant that you still existed and were safe."

I fought to blink back the tears that were threatening to surface. I didn't want to cry, but dammit, that was sweet. I knew I should still be angry at him, and a part of me was, just not this part anymore. What I was now angry about, was that Edward had had four female companions, while I had just had Jasper, and he wasn't even mine. He was just the one to show me that I was still capable of loving someone and having that love returned.

"You know this isn't fair right?" I asked.

"What's that, love?" Edward asked softly, his thumbs moving in lazy circles across the backs of hands.

"The fact that you had four, count them four, female companions. I only had Jasper and he wasn't even mine to begin with. I want to throttle you for having the ability to move on the way you did, but now that I know that there something about each and every one of them that reminded you of me, lessens my anger. I want to be angry with you, dammit! I want to beat you to a bloody pulp and leave you to rot, but my heart won't let me. I hate you for that."

The tears spilled over as I said those last words and the hole that hadbeen threatening to rip open, finally did. My walls crashed the instant that loud, angry sobs ripped through my body as hot tears streamed down my face. My tears hadn't been this hot against my skin before, but I didn't pay any mind to the reason. I just figured it was caused by 80 years of pent up frustration.

__

'I hate you

,' I thought as he enfolded me in his arms, pulling me slowly out of the chair and gathering me in his lap.__

'I hate that you left me to die slowly

,' I thought again as he mindlessly rubbed small circles on my back.

"I know, but a part of me died that day too," he whispered into my hair.

__

'I hate that I love you, but I love that I hate you. Does that make any sense

?' I thought sourly as he kissed my hair.

"Yes, it makes sense. I love that you hate me too, but I love that you love me more. It warms my heart to know that you still love me after all these years, as I have never stopped loving you," Edward said cupping my cheek and lifting my head so that we were looking at one another.

I blinked through blurry vision as Edward gently brushed the fallen tears from my cheek with his thumb. There was such raw emotion in his eyes directed at me that I almost cried again. It had truly been a while since _anyone_ had looked at me like this. Jasper had looked at me like this, but I saw through it for what it was. Yes, Jasper did love me like this, but it was a fleeting moment in time. It quickly changed to the love that we both feel for one another now, which is in no way the way I feel for Edward and by the look in his eyes now, they way he feels for me.

A new strength surged with in my veins and I reached up with both hands to cup his face. I stroked the apples of his cheeks with my thumbs as I gently pulled his face towards mine. Our lips were mere centimeters apart when he breathed, "I love you Bella and nothing will take you away from me again."

I searched his eyes and only found truth there hidden behind all that rich beautiful green color. I replied by simply closing the gap between us, and pressed my lips softly against his.

Edward moaned quietly at the first contact of my lips on his and moved the hand that was cupping my cheek further back to thread through my still damp hair. He gently pulled my face to the side so that he could deepen the kiss. His slowly ran his tongue along my bottom lip until I opened my mouth andteasinglytouched his with mine before retreating back into his mouth. He did it again and again, before I gave in to the sensual touch of his tongue and traced mine in to his mouth, earning me another moan. Where our first kiss was one of frenzied passion, this kiss was one of slow sensuality, a re-bonding of our former relationship.

I pulled back slowly ending our kiss with one last chaste kiss against his oh so soft lips. Edward leaned back from me and looked into my eyes. Confusion spread across his features as he looked at me. I blinked and asked, "What?"

"Your eyes," he said softly.

"What about them?" I asked.

"I haven't seen that color in 80 years," he replied. I knew now what he was talking about. My eyes were brown, the same human brown they had been before I was changed.

I mentally shook myself and blinked several times. My walls came back up as I felt my eyes change back and saw that Edward pouted at this.

__

'Too bad. No need to explain why they do that

,' I thought.

"You know, I rather miss your original eye color. But not as much as I missed you, right here in my arms."

I smiled at his words and moved off of his lap. Edward seemed to huff in slight annoyance, but let me up anyways. I walked over to the closed curtain window and pulled the edge back, peering outside. It was still dark out, but out in the distance there was a definite lightening to the sky. I am sure no human could see it, but any vampire could.

"It'll be dawn in a few hours," I said not turning around but opened the curtains slighty to stare outside.

"I know," he said as I felt him come up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist.

__

'This is nice

,' I thought smiling.

I leaned back against his chest and ran my fingers along the muscles in his forearms. I felt his chest vibrate against my back as he groaned softly.

"You never told me how you found me," I blurted out as the thought forced its way into my mind.

I felt Edward stiffen behind me, but he didn't move away.

"Well, I could tell you how I knew where you were going to be, but the rest is just chance."

__

'Huh?'

"What do you mean? The last girl I saw in your memory was the last female I munched on."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, and the memory I got from her, was of the two of you in _our_ meadow," I said turning slightly to look up at him. He looked down at my with a small smile.

"Sorry about that, but that was the day I stopped seeing her and told her about you. I didn't tell her everything, I sort of lied and said you were an old friend of mine that I longed to reconnect with. She had asked why I hadn't and I lied again and told her that you moved away to Seattle and that you were busy with school and work. I told her that you guys could pass for sisters because she almost looked exactly like you. But her smell was different than yours; she smelled like lilac and vanilla."

__

'Eww....vanilla and lilac? Bleh!'

I laughed softly, "Yeah, that definitely isn't my scent."

"Your right, it isn't. Your scent is ten times better; it's the most mouth-watering scent I have ever smelled," he whispered against my neck causing me to shiver.

Edward drew in a deep breath and exhaled. "God, how I've missed you."

"Don't distract me mister. You still have more answers to give," I said in the firmest voice I could muster given the closeness of Edward's lips on my neck.

"You're right, you're right. It is just so easy to get lost in you. I am having a hard time controlling myself," he said and slowly stepped back.

"I've noticed," I said turning around and gently running the back of my hand across the apparent hardness in the front of his jeans.

__

'Very hard indeed

,' I thought wickedly.

"Bella," Edward growled.

"Yes?" I asked in the most innocent voice I could while battering my eyelashes at him.

"You aren't playing fair. Do you want answers or not?" he huffed.

"I want answers. I'll behave."

* * *

**_A/N: Sorry, but I HAD to fix the errors I found. Ch 13 is in the works!_**


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Alright guys, here's CH 13! Thank you for all the reviews from my last chapter. As I have mentioned before, Fate Lowe is my awesome Beta!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!**_

* * *

Edward walked over to the bed and sat down slowly as I grabbed the chair from the foot of the bed, moved it back to the corner of the room, and took a seat.

Edward looked confused as he watched me take my seat. "I told you I would behave, now spill it," I said crossing my legs and leaning back in the chair. Edward nodded and shifted on the bed so that we were facing one another.

"After I took care of Jane, I ran after you and Emmett. I followed your scent back to the place where you guys had been staying. By the time I had gotten there, you guys had already disappeared, just like I knew you would have. I missed my chance," he said softly.

I cleared my throat. "Go on."

"I didn't know where you guys had went, so I went everywhere I could think of that Jasper might have taken you. I went to a couple of small towns in Canada, searched the entire Pacific Coast line before making my way back up and traveling across the northern states. I thought I had found you guys by the time I reached Michigan. I found yourscent there, all over the Davenport University campus. I walked all over that damn campus looking for you guys. I had almost given up when a girl walked by me that reeked of your scent. I stopped her and asked about the _perfume _she was wearing. She casually told me that this beautiful brunette had given it to her," he said smiling looking up at me.

"Did she have light brown hair and green eyes?" I asked smirking.

Edward stopped smiling at me and just stared. "Yes," he croaked out.

_'Uh-oh, did Edward just get nervous?' _I thought.

I started laughing. "Don't worry, she was one of our regulars; her name is Rachel. She always gushed over how great I smelled and asked where she could get it. I finally gave in and told her where she could find it, she thanked me up and down and told me how much her _girlfriend_ loved the scent of it," I said wiggling my eyebrows.

I saw the light bulb go off over his head and laughed.

"Well, I guess that explains why she didn't look at me with googly eyes," he said laughing.

"Really, Edward? You can't dazzle _everyone_. Anyways, continue," I said after calming down a bit.

"Yeah so, I asked her about you and she told me about the bar you ran. I headed over there after thanking her for the info and when I got within a fifty-foot radius of the bar, I knew I had found the right one. I could smell it. I went in and waited to see if you guys would show up, but you never did. I waited about six hours and believe me, that was no easy task. I must have played fuss-ball for three hours with a bunch of college kids, before I decided to give up and start looking elsewhere."

"So what happened after that?" I asked uncrossing my legs and folding them under me.

"Funny you should ask, because as I was making my way out of the bar, a patron stopped me and asked if my name was Edward. When I told him it was, they pulled out an envelope from their back pocket and handed it to me."

"And what's so funny about that? What was it?" I asked.

"A letter from Alice," he deadpanned.

_"I did what I had to do,"_ Alice's words echoed through my head and I growled in annoyance.

"Bella...."

"Stupid meddling pixie," I muttered while I mentally cursed the pixie further.

"Did you want to hear what she wrote in the letter?" he asked softly.

I shook my head, erasing all the thoughts I had about ripping Alice a new one. "Yes, please continue," I said looking at him and nodding my head.

"I opened it once I got outside and read what it said. She told me that she knew that I was there the night you met Emmett and that I was a coward for not making my presence known, but that she was glad I hadn't because she said you wouldn't have been ready to see me. She also went on to tell me that she was happy to know that I hadn't given up on you, but that she wouldn't make it easy on me by telling me where you guys were. She said it was my punishment for all the pain you went through. But she left me clues as to your location, but never gave me any specific details, kind of like a Bella scavenger hunt. It was kind fun," he said laughing.

I laughed with him, thinking of all the hints that Alice could have given him, but I was annoyed at it too.

_'This was what she meant by telling me she was pushing me towards him, she was doing the same with him,'_ I thought closing my eyes.

When I opened them, I saw Edward had stopped laughing and was just staring at me. He sighed and stood up from the bed. I remained quiet and watched as he walked over to the window, shoving his hands in his pockets along the way, and stopped to stare out the window. I noticed the sky was already a lot lighter than it was from when we last looked out of the window. Dawn was approaching fast, meaning our time for explanations was almost over.

"She was right about one thing in her letter, Bella."

"Yeah, what's that?" I asked nonchalantly.

"I was a coward," he whispered.

"Huh?" I asked standing up from the chair.

"I was a coward," he said a little bit louder, turning to face me.

"I heard you the first time. I just wanted to hear you say it again," I said smirking.

"Oh you little.."

Edward rushed over to me, quickly swinging me over his left shoulder. "You're gonna pay for that!"

"Edward, put me down now," I gasped.

"Nah-ah. Not until you apologize."

"For what? Put me down!" I said pounding my fists across his back.

_'Even though this_ is _a nice view of his backside!'_ I thought.

"Ow! Bella, remember you are a lot stronger than you once were," he said taking his right hand and rubbing one of the spots where I had hit him.

"Wimp! Emmett can take my punches," I protested.

I could feel the blood rushing to my head threatening to blacken my vision.

"Yeah, well, that's Emmett. He's built like a linebacker, not to mention he is one of the strongest of our kind," he retorted.

"If you don't put me down right now, I will make sure you can't sit for a week!" And just to prove my point, I punched him square in his left ass cheek as hard as I could given my position.

"Shit!" he yelped, jumping slightly, tightening his grip on the back of my thighs so as to not drop me.

"Give up?" I asked laughing.

Edward loosened his grip and he shifted me so that I was angled in the center of his body with both of his arms locked behind my thighs. I stared down at him and our gazes locked, as inch by inch he slowly slide me down the front of his body. My arms ended up resting lightly on his biceps and I felt the muscles flex under the fabric of his shirt. The strength from his arms slid the back of my shirt up and I could feel every muscle of his forearms across the skin of my back. I shivered from the feeling of his skin against mine and I closed my eyes at the sensation. I drew my hands down his arms slightly so I could move my fingers under the hem of the sleeves that rested there. My fingers slid slowly across the skin of his arms and I licked my lips at the feeling of his skin beneath my fingertips.

_'Delicious_,' I thought.

I could smell and feel Edward's sweet breath across my face and I shuddered once more as his intoxicating scent washed over me.

"Bella," he whispered.

"Hmmm?" I asked inhaling his scent and feeling it settle deep within me.

"Look at me," he whispered sliding his arms slowly across the skin of my back until his fingers were splayed wide across my sides.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared up at him. His eyes had taken on a whole new intensity as we locked gazes. They seemed to hold fire in them that burned a fiery green. Edward's fingers dug into my skin slightly and I shivered as my head lolled forward until my forehead rested upon his chest. My breathing became slightly erratic as Edward shifted his body closer to mine until the front of his body was pressed to mine. I could feel his chest rising and falling against my forehead and I was pretty sure if our hearts were still beating they both would have burst from our chests.

Edward slowly began moving his hands upward along my sides, my shirt riding up with them, until his thumbs once again rested just under my breasts.

_'My turn,' _I thought wickedly, and withdrew my hands from under the sleeves of his shirt and moved them up to his neck, cupping the sides. I pulled my body back slightly from his and stared into his eyes as I slowly drew my hands down his back until I reached the bottom of his shirt. I fingered the hem of his shirt with my thumbs and quickly lifted it to move my hands under the fabric, not wanting to waste this opportunity to feel the flesh that lay there.

The electricity that was always there between us flared to life once more as I rubbed the pads of my thumbs back and forth across the skin of his back just above the waistband of his jeans. Edward's breath slowly escaped from his lips as I softly traced my fingers from his back to his front. His hands tightened minutely against my skin as I dragged my hands up the front of his torso, bringing his shirt up with them, until I palmed his pecs. I could feel his nipples harden against my skin as his thumbs dipped underneath the cup of my bra and rubbed sensually back and forth on the underside of my breasts. I could feel my body responding to his and the delicious feeling of his skin against mine. My nipples hardened and the muscles in my core clenched sinfully.

My breath caught in my throat as his thumbs ghosted over my hardened peaks. I watched as Edward's eyes bled to black in the same instant I felt the hardness of his lower body grind into my mine.

"Edward?" I asked breathlessly knowing my own eyes were the same black as his and knowing that this hunger had nothing to do with blood.

_'Shit! I haven't eaten. Food? Who needs it when I have Edward's skin to feast on?'_

I smirked as my thoughts became slightly more indecent than I have ever dared to think. I moved my hands again up his chest, causing Edward's hands to withdraw from my bra and shirt. Even though I knew my thoughts were safe behind my shield, Edward knew what I wanted and lifted his arms above his head so that I could push the shirt up and off.

Once the collar of his shirt cleared his head, I threw it behind me discarding it like a piece of trash. I stepped back further from his body to get a better look at him. Sure I had seen his chest, but not the whole sinfully delicious sight of his upper body. I looked over every inch of his flesh like looking at a fine piece of art. Every line of muscle dissecting his abs, every curve of sensual skin the cascaded over his shoulders and arms.

_'YUM!'_

I walked around his body inspecting every little detail. I raised my hand and ghosted it over his collarbone as I made my way towards his back, letting my hand follow me. All the while Edward watching my every movement until I get behind him and he could no longer see me. And boy was I glad that he couldn't when I got there.

I stopped breathing for a split second; I was practically salivating when I took in the sight of his back shirtless. I know for a fact that some females are into hair, arms, a guy's ass, not me, I prefer the muscled contours of a man's back. Of course I can only say that I have seen three men shirtless: Jasper, Emmett, and Jacob, but Edward's back was by far _the_ most erotic sight I have _ever_ seen.

_'Bella, wipe your chin! You're drooling!' _I mindlessly did wipe my chin, but came away with nothing.

"See something back there you like?" Edward's voice cut through my ogily of his backside.

_'You have no idea!'_ I thought quietly to myself.

"Mmhmm," was all I could vocally come up with at this present moment in time.

_'God! He looks good enough to eat!'_ I mentally shouted to myself.

I suddenly found that I could no longer deny what my body wanted and right now, it wanted to lick his back. I placed my hands on his shoulders to get good leverage as I came to stand directly behind him. Edward gasped as my fingers dug in and I slowly stood up on my toes and skimmed my nose across the back of his neck inhaling his scent. I quickly thought that we needed to bottle it and sell it and make a fortune. I squashed that thought as I felt Edward shiver. I touched my lips to his skin and slowly dragged them down his body as I settled myself back down on the floor, letting my breath dance down his spine. Edward groaned at this and almost whimpered.

_'Score! Let's see how you like this.' _

Suddenly feeling bolder now I parted my lips and let the tip of my tongue touch the skin in the center of his back just under his shoulder blades.

Edward shivered once again and let out the sexiest moan I had ever heard.

Slowly, I licked one long line from that starting point all the way up until I reached thebase of his neck and blew air as I came back down. His skin tasted like fresh raindrops on my tongue and I felt his back vibrate as I heard him growl deep in his chest.

"Bella...."

"Yes Edward?" I asked smiling against his skin.

"I am _really_ finding it difficult to control myself," Edward replied in a husky tone.

I looked down at his sides and noticed that both of his hands were clenched into fists. I smiled again as I lightly traced my fingers across his shoulder blades. I circled back around to the front of him and see that his eyes are closed and his jaw is clenched tight. I decided right there to make another bold move and quickly took off my own shirt, letting it drop to the floor next to my feet. The quickness of it sent a small breeze across Edward's face and ruffled his hair slightly. I just stared up at him as I waited for him to open his eyes. Edward inhaled and opened his eyes slowly. To say that he looked shocked was an understatement. Here I stood in front of him in only my bra and jeans, feeling bolder than I had ever felt before in all of my life, alive and undead, and he just stared at me like he had never seen me before.

_'Maybe I shouldn't have taken off my shirt.'_I thought at seeing Edward's obvious hesitation.

I bent down beside me and picked up my discarded shirt. "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking," I whispered as I put my arms through the sleeves of my shirt. As I was about to pull the collar of my shirt over my head, I felt Edward's hand my right arm.

"Don't."

I stopped my movement and just looked up at him.

"What? I asked.

"I'm sorry. For a second there I thought I had died and gone to heaven," he whispered.

I snorted; I couldn't help myself. That was the corniest line Edward had ever said to me. I threw my head back and laughed.

"You think that was funny?" he asked in a serious tone.

His tone stopped my laughter and I looked into his eyes searching for any signs of joking, finding nothing but seriousness. Edward pulled away for a second and walked over to the window, closing the curtains. He turned around and walked back to me, the look in his eyes was one of a predator stalking his prey and I just stood there frozen in his heated gaze. He stopped in front of me and brought his hands up to my arms and pulled my shirt down off. My eyes following his every move as he fingers slowly drew the fabric down my arms and threw it across the room. He stepped closer to me and placed his hands on my naked sides, slowly dragging them up my back until he reached the clasp of my bra. His eyes locked with mine as he quickly disengaged the clasp of my bra and slowly drew the straps over my shoulders. My body shivered as the bra fell away from my body, falling to the floor at our feet. Edward not once taking his eyes off of mine as he stepped closer again and reached out slowly to cup my face in his hands. He leaned forward, the fronts of our bodies still not touching, and gently took my bottom lip in between his lips and licked it slowly. Our eyes closed together at the feel of one anothers lips touching. Electricity seemed to crackle around us as my lips grew a mind of their own and parted slightly letting my tongue come forward to lickhis top lip.

Edward groaned as his hands moved down to cup my neck, his fingers digging in to the back of my neck to bring my head closer. My arms were just hanging lifelessly at my sides as Edward held me immobile with his hands. I was afraid to move, afraid that if I did, this moment would end. He kissed me slowly and softly as his hands moved to my shoulders. Our lips and tongues moved in a sensual dance as the heel of Edward's hands came to rest on my collarbone, his fingers gently massaging the tops of my shoulders. Inch by inch, Edward moved his hands slowly down the front of my body until his palms were situated at the tops of my breasts. My hands came up to rest on his wrists as I broke our kiss and stared into his eyes. Not blinking once, I moved his hands down to fully cup my breasts, my nipples hardening at once at the feeling of his hands. We both groaned and I let my hands drop to his waist. I kneaded the flesh of his hips softly and Edward did the same to my breasts. My eyes closed of their own accord as Edward moved his left hand away from my breast and moved it around to my back, holding me between my shoulder blades. My hands moved to his biceps and held on for dear life as I suddenly felt his breath across my right breast. I gasped when I felt the tip of his tongue flick my harden peak. My fingers dug into the flesh of his arms as Edward's tongue flicked my nipple once again before closing his lips over it and drawing it into his mouth while his hand kneaded the mound of flesh.

"Oh God," I whispered as I moved my hands up to his neck before burying them into his hair. It had been too long since the last time my hands touched his hair and I marveled once again at the silkiness of his bronze locks. I twist my fingers into his hair and arch my back up into him, offering my body like a sacrifice to the gods. The hand on my back pressed me closer while his tongue flicked my nipple again before placing the flat of his tongue against it and pressed in. I tightened my grip on his hair just as his teeth gazed my peak, setting my whole body on fire. A delicious fire that burned through my veins with the intensity of lava.

_'Sweet merciful heaven!'_

"Edward," I gasped as his teeth closed over my breast and bit down, hard.

I growled at the sensation of his teeth setting into my skin and moved my hands down to rake my nails down his back. Edward pulled back suddenly and stared at me. His eyes were half-lidded and were just as black as my own. Our hands were frozen on each others' bodies as were stared at one another.

"Fuck!" he growled in low voice, teeth clenched together.

"What?" I asked, clearly confused.

Edward blinked and I watched as his eyes bled back to green a second before a knock came to the door.

"Edward, get your ass out here! Jasper and Alice kicked me out so they could have some lovin' time before we leave. He said there was too much lust in the air, whatever that means. Come on, I wanna get something to eat before we hit the road!" Emmett yelled through the door.

Edward stared at me and nodded his head toward the door. "That, was why I said 'fuck'. I heard Emmett coming out of the other room. I was hoping his actions would betray his thoughts and he would leave us alone, but nope. No such luck," he said quietly.

_'Fucking Emmett! I'll kill him!'_

"Come on Edward! I'm hungry!" Emmett whined.

Edward growled and turned his head away. "Alright Emmett! Hold the fuck on!" he yelled to the door.

Our hands were still in the exact same places that they were before Emmett so rudely interrupted us. We stepped away from each other rather reluctantly; our hands slowly gliding along each others skin trying to prolong the intimacy that was now over. We each grabbed our shirts and put them on. I didn't even bother with my bra; I just went through the bag that Jasper had brought us and found a black hoodie to put on.

Edward watched with sad eyes as I pulled the hoodie over my head. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just trying to figure out where to hide Emmett's body," he said.

I smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. I'll just have to put him in his place once we get back to Seattle this afternoon. Besides, I never _did_ get a chance to eat last night since _someone_ robbed me of my meal," I said while I put my hair up into a ponytail.

Edward huffed, then said, "Well, we'll just have to remedy that."

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_**A/N: Let me know what you guys think! Review please!!!**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: WOW! You guys loved my last chapter, let's hope you guys love this one too. Sorry for the delay, but I got sucked into the Dark Hunter world and couldn't put the books down. If you like Vampires mixed with Greek Mythology, then this is definitely a book series for you. Fate Lowe is my awesome Beta!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**_

* * *

Three hours after Emmett rudely interrupted Edward and I, we were all fed and on our way back to Seattle. Our memory confessional time didn't take as long as usual which was odd, but who was I to complain? We were all going home. Home. A word I usually associated to Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Jacob. And now, now, Edward. He was my home. Home is where the heart is, -- they always say -- and now I knew that they were right. True, my heart was always with the others, but now, after 80 years, my heart finally felt whole again. Something I didn't think would happen, but it did.

My internal monologue was cut off by Jasper's phone ringing. Edward, Alice and I were sitting in the back seat of the SUV with Jasper driving, and Emmett riding shotgun as usual. You would think our seats were labeled with our names or something, cause this was usually how were sat when we went out traveling.

Jasper grabbed his phone out of the center console and answered it without even looking at the caller-id.

"Hey Jake."

Edward turned to me with a curious look upon his face. "How did he know it was Jacob?"

"Cause nobody else besides the people in this car have that number," I replied returning my attention back out my window to watch the passing scenery.

"Yeah, we should be there within the hour. How's the bar coming along?" Jasper asked.

That got my attention. Jasper hadn't mentioned anything about the bar being trashed. I strained my ears to listen.

_"Seth and Sam just finished the woodwork on the bar while Jared is finishing up painting the walls."_

"Why is Paul painting the walls?" I asked leaning forward between the seats.

Jasper turned his head slightly toward me and said, "They had to been dry-walled again. Jacob threw Felix into the bar which resulted in destorying it and denting the wall behind it."

Edward stiffened next to me as I leaned back in my seat and stared at Jasper in the rear-view mirror. I watched as Jasper just shook his head.

"Yeah ok, just make sure everything is ready by the time we get there. Yeah I'll tell her hi. Later," Jasper said closing the phone and returned it to the console.

"What was that all about?" I asked looking up at Edward. He just smiled down at me. "Nothing to worry about right now," he said patting my knee.

_'O-kay,'_ I thought as I once again returned my attention to the world outside of my window.

"By the way, Jacob says hi Bella," Jasper said not taking his eyes off the road ahead of him.

"He always says hi," I mumbled resting my head against the back of the seat.

* * *

We were about thirty minutes outside of Seattle when Emmett sat up and asked, "Hey Edward, I totally forgot to ask you, but how did you know where we were?"

"When?" Edward asked.

"When dumb-fuck Aro caught up with us, duh? What did you think I was talking about?" Emmett asked turning around in his seat to look at him.

I sat up in my seat, curious myself about how he knew where we were. "Actually, I was kinda wondering about that one myself," I said, looking expectantly at Edward.

"So am I for that matter. How come I didn't see you coming?" Alice asked leaning forward in her seat.

"Yeah, why didn't she see you coming?" Jasper asked.

_'Spanish Inquisition anyone?'_ I thought.

I watched as Edward looked at each of us in turn, but in the end his gaze landed on Alice.

"I put a block on me. After the last clue you sent me, I blocked myself from your visions," Edward said flatly.

I watched as Alice's facial expressions went from anger to confusion. "How did you do that?" she asked still looking every bit as confused as I was. I thought he could only erase people's memories, apparently I was wrong.

_'Fucker has the ability to control minds?'_ I thought.

I felt Edward's hand on me knee. "No, I can't control minds Bella." I blinked at him; I knew my shield was holding, so.... "How did you know that was what I was thinking?"

He squeezed my knee and just smiled. "Just a guess really."

_'A guess? Yeah and monkeys fly out of my butt.' _

"Are you going to explain it then?" Emmett asked. I turned from Edward and saw Emmett had almost completely turned around in his seat. He looked eager to learn what Edward was about to say and from the look of Jasper's eyes in the rear-view, I knew he was just as eager.

"Bella already knows this, but I guess that there is no point in keeping it from you guys as well. I spent fifteen years in Thailand meditating. In that time I learned to block certain things, one of them was reading people's thoughts. It didn't happen over night mind you, but after three months of utter stillness, I looked up one day and noticed one of the monks in my room. I hadn't _heard_ him come in, at all. When he noticed how black my eyes were, he flinched, and that's when I snapped out of it and heard his thoughts again. It was weird at first, listening to my own thoughts and no one else's, but so refreshing as well. Five years into my meditation, another vampire came calling. He too had the gift of visions, but they weren't as subjective as Alice's. Whereas Alice can see the path from one's decisions, this one knew of the decision before it was made and what would happen afterwards. He was the one who taught me how to block myself from other's 'sight'."

Alice shifted forward and looked at me. I didn't recognize the look on her face and wondered if I had the same look on mine. "You knew all of this?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Not all of it, but the part about him meditating, yes." I reached for Edward's hand and clasped it in mine. He turned his head from Emmett and looked down at our hands smiling.

"Ok, well that explains, how Alice wasn't able to see you coming, but not why,' Emmett said turning back around in his seat.

"Actually it does Emmett," Jasper said looking over at him for a second.

"How do you figure?" Emmett asked.

"Well, when Aro touched her, he couldn't find anything on Bella's powers because Edward erased them. If Edward hadn't blocked himself from her visions then Aro would have known he was coming."

"Exactly," Edward said smiling at Jasper.

"But how _did_ you find us?" Alice asked looking between Edward and I.

Silence permeated the car and I looked out of my window waiting for Edward's answer. I felt Edward's thumb rubbing soft lazy circles across the back of my hand when it hit me.

_"I need you to do something for me Mike," Edward asked._

_"Shoot," Mike replied._

_"Head on down to Malibu. Be there by 11 pm and go to a bar called 'New Moon', its a shit hole, but when you get there, look for a girl with chestnut brown hair, and her head hung down."_

_"Why?"_

_"Just do it, ok? And here, take this, and swallow it," Edward said, placing something in Mike's hand._

_"What is this?"_

_"Just a vitamin C tablet, you look like shit," Edward said laughing and slapping him on his back._

"Mike?" I gasped, turning away from the window and looking up at Edward. His face said it all, I was right on target.

"That wasn't a vitamin tablet was it?" I asked.

Edward just shook his head.

_'Son of a bitch! Clever little fucker aren't you?'_ I thought as I dropped my shield so he could hear me.

Edward just smirked and nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Jasper asked.

I leaned forward so I could look at Alice. She nodded her head at me, knowing what I was going to say next. "You remember how Alice took you guys downtown for dinner? I asked leaning back and looking at Jasper in the rear-view.

"Yeah."

"Well, Alice told me to go to that bar me and you passed and told me that the first human I lay eyes on would be my dinner. Of course, we later found out why," I said holding up mine and Edward's hands. "But what she didn't know was Edward had sent him there with a purpose. The tablet Edward made him swallow was a tracer. Edward sent him there looking specifically for me, so when I drank from him, the tracer was transfered to me and he tracked us all the way to Aro."

"Ooooh," Jasper and Emmett said in unison.

"Exactly," Edward said looking down at me and smiling.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later we parked out front of the our bar and hoped out. We were greeted by Sam and Seth, who immediately went to Edward and enveloped him with hugs.

_'Huh? Didn't see that one coming,'_ I thought as I watched Edward chatting with them like they _were_ friends.

Jasper handed me my two duffel bags and as I passed by Edward, I heard him mutter a thanks to Sam, who only answered with a nod. I walked through the front doors to the bar and took in the new decor.

_'Not Bad,' _Ithought as I looked around and noticed all the new changes. The bar that Jasper usually tended was new obviously from what Jacob had said on the phone. I walked up and placed my bags on the bar top and surveyed the area more. My eyes scanned the wall behind the bar and took in all the photos that were now housed in new frames. I took in each picture with a smile and remembered when each picture was taken. Most of the pictures were of Emmett, Jasper, and I together, since we were the actual owners of the bar. A few were of Jacob and I, Jasper and Alice, some of Alice and myself. One was of Jasper and I, which was one of my favorites since it was taken just fifteen years after my change and I had felt somewhat healed emotionally. It was a simple picture of us sitting against a tree, with my back leaning against his chest while his arms were draped casually over my chest as though he were hugging me. Both of us had our eyes closed and peaceful smiles on our faces. A lot of people actually thought we were a couple when we first opened the bar, but Alice squashed that thought from everyone's mind when she decided to host a Singles Night and I was the first on the bar when she asked for all the single ladies to step up.

_'That was a fun night!'_ I thought remembering.

I finished going over the pictures, laughing when I came to the one of Emmett and I arm wrestling. Jasper had snapped the photo at the exact moment I had beat him. My face had a knowing smirk while Emmett lookedlike I had just kicked him in the balls, which when beating Emmett at arm wrestling is just as painful, especially when it's me doing it.

_'Poor Emmett,'_ I thought.

I finished looking over every photo, when I noticed that something was off.

Something was missing.

I scanned the wall again, my eyes dancing from one photo to another and when I got to the end of the line, I went back the other way. I must have stood there for a good ten minutes looking from one photo to another trying to figure out what exactly was missing. I felt ahand on my shoulder and knew it was Edward from the electrical current that was running down my arm. I felt his fingers interlock with mine and looked up at him to see that he was staring at the photos on the wall in front of him. I returned to my scanning of the photos when it finally clicked and I noticed what was missing. I squeezed Edward's hand in acknowledgement and gasped as a pain I hadn't felt in 84 years welled up in my heart. There was only one photo that could produce this feeling and the fact that it was missing just made it worse.

The last set of pictures of me and my dad Charlie. Alice had made a collage of those pictures of us. She had given it to me after the funeral. I knew what pictures were in the collage. The first was my favorite picture of us. Tears blurred my vision as I remembered the day that it was taken. It was taken one year before he died; the day before he found out he had cancer, the day of my college graduation. It was just of him hugging me, but what made the photo all the more precious to me was that you could clearly see the tears streaming down his face.

_"I'm so proud of you Bells," he whispered into my hair._

_"Thank you daddy,' I whispered back as my own tears fell. _

I might have been dead for four years, but I had never been morethankful that my tear ducts still worked as I did that day. Charlie had noticed something was different about me after my accident on my eighteenth birthday, but was just so grateful that I was ok, that he never said anything.

_"No matter how old you get, you will always be my little girl," he whispered as he pulled back and kissed my forehead. _

If anybody else had done that I would have pushed them away and yelled at them, but this was my father and he was the _only_ person that was allowed such a tender affection towards me after Edward left. It was when he kissed my forehead a second time that Jasper had snapped the photo. Forever freezing the image that Charlie and I had been affectionate with one another as a daughter and her father should. I remember my mother begging Jasper for a copy of the photo. Charlie and I had never really been affectionate with one another which was why these photos meant so much to me. They proved that my father loved me and now they were missing.

"What is it Bella?" Edward asked as he looked down at me. I looked up at him as the tears spilled over. He moved quickly to brush them away with his thumbs while cradling my head and searching my eyes for an answer.

"There's a photo collage missing," I gasped as I struggled to find my breath that had somehow lodged itself in my throat. My knees suddenly felt weak and I could feel myself falling toward the floor. Edward caught me around the waist and lowered me to the floor, moving to sit me in his lap. My head fell against his shoulder as more tears came.

"Emmett! Jasper! Come in here," Edward yelled. I could feel his breath on my face as he continued to wipe away my tears and it actually did calm the steady ache in my heart.

I heard footsteps running across the hardwood floors and stopping in front of us. I felt Edward kiss my hair softly as Jasper knelt down next to me and I watched as he his eyes flashed to blue in the second it took him to take the sight of my own.

"What's wrong with her? Why are her eyes blue?" Edward asked.

Jasper took the hand that I reached out to him with and immediately started sobbing. "Oh God," Jasper sobbed. I knew he could now feel _exactly_ what I was feeling. My eyes rarely turned blue. The last time that they turned blue was when Charlie breathed his last breath. Jasper gently pulled me from Edward's lap and into his.

"But..." Edward whispered as I felt his lands linger on my arms. He seemed reluctant to let me go, but sighed as Jasper sobbed, "I got her."

I hugged Jasper's waist and held on like my life depended it, burying my head into his firm chest. True, I felt guilty that it wasn't Edward that I clung to, but he wasn't there when Charlie died, Jasper was. Jasper had been the one to hold me that day as I cried to the point of exhaustion and I needed him now to deal with the terrible ache that had settled in my heart. Jasper rested his head on top of mine as he sobbed and whispered, "It's ok."

I felt Emmett's hand rub slow circles on my back and said, "It's just something that happens."

"Then why are your eyes blue as well Emmett? And yours Jasper's? What is going on?" Edward asked sounding slightly exasperated.

I felt Emmett squeeze me right shoulder and I nodded. He was silently asking me if it was ok to tell Edward why our eyes were blue.

"I don't know why your eyes don't change color Edward as the rest of ours do, but one of the reasons why they turn blue is sadness. Bella on the other hand..." Emmett trailed off.

"What?" Edward asked.

I turned my head away from Jasper's chest and looked at Edward. The look on his face was one of panic. He obviously didn't know what was going on.

"It's ok Emmett, you can tell him," I whispered as I stared at Edward's frantic face. Jasper's arms tightened around my shoulders as he took one away and gently combed through my hair. It was the same gesture he used the day Charlie died to calm me down and it started to have the same effect now. The one bad thing about combining powers, was that when I was like this, Jasper couldn't calm us down. I had to calm down a little myself first before he could do it, but not today. I wouldn't be calm until I found out what happened to my photos.

"Let's just say this is only the _second_ time I have ever seen her eyes blue," Emmett said moving back to me and started to rub my back again.

"When was the first time?" Edward asked furrowing his brows and looking at me.

Jasper cleared his throat. "When Charlie died."

"Oh."

Edward blinked at me and I watched as remorse quickly replaced his panic stricken face. He now knew why I had willing to go toJasper's arms. He knew that it was Jasper who had been the one to help me through that difficult time.

Emmett kissed me on the top of my head. "I'm gonna go back outside and help the boys. There are a few more things that need to be fixed out there," he said.

"Ok," I whispered as I watched him disappear out the front door.

Edward looked up to Jasper. "Thank you."

"For?" Jasper asked.

"For taking care of her. For keeping your promise," Edward said was he moved toward me and held out a visibly shaking hand. Jasper squeezed me once and loosened his grasp. I took Edward's hand and scooted back over to his lap. I started to feel much calmer once Edward locked his arms tightly around my back and when I looked up from his chest to look at Jasper, I noticed his eyes had turned back to his usual golden topaz color. I smiled at him as I felt my own eyes change and mouthed 'thank you' to him.

I tilted my head up to look up at Edward as he smiled down at me, seeing that my eyes were back to normal. "Now why were you so upset?" he asked.

I looked back at Jasper who was now staring at the wall behind the bar. Whenhiseyes widened suddenly, I knew he noticed the collage was missing. He looked back at me, eyes still widened from shock and disbelief and stood up abruptly.

"Son of a bitch!" he muttered under his breath. I untangled myself from Edward and stood up as well, moving over to Jasper as his hands clenched into fists. I looked back at Edward who was still sitting on the floor shifting his head back and forth from me to Jasper. "What?" he asked looking at me.

Jasper closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When he open his eyes and looked back up at me, I saw anger swimming behind the topaz color. I heard Edward stand up and move over to us.

"Would either of you care to tell mewhat the fuck is going on? What is so important about this missing collage?" Edward asked. Jasper and I just stared at one another and I nodded my head at him. Jasper blinked at me before turning to Edward and said, "The photo collage, the one that is missing, were the _last_ set of recent photos that Bella had of her and Charlie. They were from her college graduation. Besides the fact that they were of her and Charlie, they had _extreme_ sentimental value to her, as well as the rest of us. The fact that they are gone, well..." Jasper paused.

Edward scoffed. "Is that all? Well, we can get copies made. Where are the negatives?"

I almost laughed at Edward, because he obvious didn't catch what Jasper had actually said. I felt Jasper move towards Edward and I pulled Jasper back and looked at him, telling him with my eyes that I would take care of this. Jasper nodded and walked over the bar and grabbed my bags of the countertop and disappeared up the stairs to my bedroom.

I looked at Edward who looked dumbfounded by Jasper's behavior. "What's his problem?" he asked.

_'He really is clueless sometimes,'_ I thought to myself while shaking my head.

"I thought you could read minds," I said.

"I can, but I have been blocking since we got back."

"Well, if you hadn't been blocking your ability, you would have known why Jasper got pissed," I said walking over to the bar and hoisting myself on to the top of it.

_'Hmm....nice wood. I wonder if it's mahogany?'_ I thought gliding my hand over the smooth bar top.

Edward walked over to me and joined me atop the bar. "So are you going to explain it?" he asked.

"Well, the fact that you so easily dismissed what he said was what set him off. We _can't_ get copies made Edward," I said looked over at him.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"Well, if you had listened to what Jasper had said you would know why," I retorted.

"Cut the bullshit Bella."

I laughed; I couldn't help myself. I was mentally drained and was surprised my shield was still holding.

"What's so funny?" he asked looking at me as though I had lost my mind.

"You," I laughed. I calmed myself before continuing. "The reason _why_ we can't get copies made, is because those were the _last_ set of those pictures. They were the _only_ pictures I had left of Charlie."

Edward blinked and I watched as the realization of what I had just said finally settled into his eyes.

"Oh," he said.

"Yeah, that's why I was so upset. Now, as soon as Jacob shows up, I can rip him a new one for letting Felix destroy those pictures."

Just then the front door to the bar opened and in walked Jacob, followed by Alice, Emmett, Seth, and Sam.

"Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear," Edward said quietly under his breath.

I smirked at him and said, "That was so cliche."

"I know. It just seemed to fit," he said.

"Bells!" Jacob yelled running up to me. Emmett and the others stayed back by the door. He scooped me up into a hug, lifting me off the bar and spun me around in circles. I laughed, letting Jacob be happy for a few seconds before I beat the shit out of him. He stopped and set me down in front of him. He was all smiles and happiness, little did he know I was about to knock him into next week.

_'Stupid little shit!'_ I thought as I smiled back up at him.

Jacob looked up from my face and peered over my head. "Leech," he said nodding his head once at Edward.

"Mutt," Edward replied, nodding his head once as well.

Jacob looked back down at me. "So, how was your trip?" Jacob asked.

I stepped back from him, cocking my right arm back and letting it snap forward to connect with his jaw. Jacob flew back from me and crashed into the floor, sliding across it to where he finally stopped at the feet of Emmett. Sam and Emmett started laughing hysterically while Jacob blinked and shook his head. Hishand came up and rubbed his jaw where I had hit him.

"I think you broke my jaw," Jacob said through clenched teeth.

I heard Edward laugh quietly behind me. "Be glad that's the only thing she broke," he said coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. I relaxed into his embrace and rubbed my hands softly down his forearms to his hands where I intertwined our fingers.

"I told you you'd be lucky if you only walked away with a broken jaw," Emmett laughed holding his hand out towards Sam. "Pay up sucker. I won the bet!"

Sam reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He fished out what looked to be a hundred dollar bill and clapped it into Emmett's hand. "You were right, I shouldn't bet against Alice," Sam said putting his wallet back into his back pocket.

I looked at Alice and smiled as she looked up with a sad smile and winked. That sad smile told me she knew about the missing photos, but the fact that I had just broken Jacob's jaw made up for some of it. I nodded at her telling her with my eyes that I was ok. She looked down at Jacob who was still on the floor at their feet and broke out laughing.

"What's so funny shrimp?" Jacob asked as he reset his jaw. "Fuck!" he whispered.

"You should have just phased you moron," Seth said holding his hand down to Jacob and helping him off the floor.

Alice walked over to me and smiled. "Don't worry. Everything will be ok."

"I know," I said smiling back at her.

She kissed my cheek and ran up the back stairs leaving me and the boys alone.

"Alrighty!" Emmett said rubbing his hands together.

We all stared at him in confusion.

Edward groaned behind me and I craned my head back to look up at him. He just shook his head and said, "Emmett."

I looked back at Emmett who had _our_ signature devious grin plastered all over his face.

_'Oh God no!'_ I thought.

"Party time!!!" Emmett said.

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_**A/N: Reviews make me smile! And the more reviews I get, the quicker that lemon you guys want gets written!!**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: Alright, another chapter down and here is another one for you guys. I didn't recieve the amount of reviews I was hoping for, but I might after you guys read this. Fate Lowe is my ever faithful Beta.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and a box of Ritz crackers.**_

* * *

_'Oh Goody,'_ I thought, _'Another party.' _

Emmett loved to have parties at the bar and since Jacob had put up a 'closed due to renovations' sign the night after Felix left, it gave Emmett all the fuel he needed to get one going.

Alice had been her usual bouncy self after Emmett said the word 'party', though I knew she had seen it coming, but that didn't stop her from pulling out all the stops to make this 'Grand Re-Opening' party one that our patrons would never forget.

Our bar was famous all over the city and half the state of Washington for being one of a kind and original. People from all over came to our bar to get a glimpse of it. Even people from our home town of Forks drove two hours to see us. And yes, it is a two hour drive from Seattle to Forks. We made that commute almost daily to visit Charlie while I was in college at the University. Charlie always hated it, but was so happy to see me every day, that he didn't really care that much.

So now, here I was, standing on top of a ladder, hanging the big 'Grand Re-Opening' banner under our bar sign outside and dreading the next twenty-four hours. Because that's how long this party was going to go for. Twenty-four ungodly hours.

_'Thank you Emmett,'_ I though.

"So why did you guys decide to do renovations?" a female voice said from below me.

I finished tying off the right corner of the sign and climbed back down the ladder. Taking a step back to make sure the sign was centered and straight I said, "Because we thought it was time to make a change."

"Oh, well I hope the party will be just as chaotic as the last one I read about," the voice said again. I could feel their presence to my left and I turned to see the one person I never thought I'd see again.

I coughed for a second taking in the sight of her and blinked several times. I couldn't believe she was here.

"It's been a long time Bella," she said.

"What are you doing here?" I asked still slightly in shock of being in her presence.

"Decided to see if the rumors I heard were true," she replied.

I glanced down at me feet and pulled an Edward move, running my hands through my hair. "And what rumors would that be?" I asked hesitantly looking back up at her shyly.

"The ones that told me that little Bella went up against Aro and lived to tell the tale," she said flipping her golden blonde locks off her shoulder.

"You believe every rumor you hear Rosalie?" I asked cocking an eyebrow.

She smiled and said, "Only when it's Carlisle telling them."

I smiled at her response. God I missed him and Esme. They had been like parents to me after Charlie died and I loved them for it. Esme spent many nights with me, holding me as I cried and mourned the loss of my father. She always told me that she envied the fact that I was still able to cry and was confused at the same time and I would always laugh at her when she said that. Carlisle was also confused by that fact, but said that I was special to be able to retain so much of my humanity. I never really questioned why I was able to cry -- as no other vampire in the whole world was able to -- but was thankful that I had an escape to the emotional turmoil that ran through me at times.

_'God, I haven't seen them since they left the night I met Emmett. I need to call them about the party. I bet they would _love_ to see Edward again,'_ I thought.

"How are they anyways? Are they still in Alaska with the Denali coven?" I asked as I shoved my hands in my jean pockets, because all I wanted to do was hug her right now.

She smiled coyly at my gesture and began picking at nonexistent dirt under her fingernails. "They're good. Went on a world tour a couple of decades ago. Esme was getting cabin fever," she laughed.

We stood there for a handful of minutes just staring at each other, drinking in the sight of one another, when she suddenly broke our staring contest.

"Oh fuck it!" she said as she pulled me into a hug. My arms wound around her waist as hers encircled my shoulders. Each of us burying our heads into each others hair and breathing in deeply.

'Sunshine,' I thought.

Rosalie always smelled like sunshine to me and always would.

"I've missed you little sister," she whispered.

I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes and all I could do was nod my head in response. Rosalie had only once called me that in my entire 80 years as a vampire, the last time was the night she had left. I sniffled once and she pulled back and stared at me.

"Wonders like that never cease to amaze me," she said as she wiped a stray tear that had escaped its prison and rolled down my cheek.

We stayed like that for a second -- embracing one another -- completely unaware that the bar door had opened and closed once.

"Holy shit!"

We both jumped and pulled away from one another and stared at the person who had interrupted our moment.

Jasper.

"No wonder Alice has been jumping around the bar like a bunny on crack. She's been driving Edward nuts!" Jasper exclaimed.

Rosalie looked at me for second. "Edward?" she asked. I just nodded and went to fold up the ladder, letting it lean up against the front of the building.

"So what brings you here Rosalie?" Jasper asked as he pulled me in next to him as I tried to walk back into the bar.

"Just confirming rumors," she said with a smirk as she took in the sight of me and Jasper. He had swung his arm across my shoulders while I had circled his waist with both of mine.

"I see some things have changed after all," she said as she stared at each of us. I felt Jasper kiss my right temple and then released his hold on me.

"Stop seeing what you want to see. Bella and I aren't together, despite the rumors you may have heard about us in the past," Jasper said. "Now come here and give your brother a hug!"

Rosalie just laughed and hugged Jasper. They stayed that way for a couple of minutes before disengaging and turning their attention towards me. It had been way too long since I had seen Rosalie. Despite the fact that I had always felt like she hated me, she was still a sister to me in my heart.

I suddenly got an overwhelming sense of unease as I looked at her. I saw Jasper stiffen in response for my mood change and I watched as he leaned into Rosalie and whispered something so low, even _I_ didn't hear him. I watched as a shudder rippled through her.

_'Huh?'_

She winked at me, smiled at Jasper, then turned and left.

_'Weird?'_

"Why are you so confused all of the sudden?" Jasper asked me.

"What did you say to her?" I asked as he grabbed the ladder and moved it to the side of the building. I followed him into the alleyway where he disappeared into the side of the building with the ladder in tow. We had a room behind the stage where we kept most of our tools and equipment, but the only way to get to it was from the door Jasper had just walked into. It made fixing the stage problems a bitch, but we were quick enough that we didn't worry about it anymore.

Jasper walked back out and shut the door behind him. I stared at him blankly as I waited for the answer to the question I just asked him. He leaned against the door and folded his arms across his chest. I mirrored his pose -- minus the leaning against the door part -- and asked, "Well?"

He just shrugged his shoulders at me. "Well, what?"

I glared at him with a stare that said 'don't play dumb with me'.

"Fine, but come here. I don't want anyone to beable to hear me," he said with a sigh.

I walked over to him -- arms still folded across my chest -- and stared at him waiting forthis "secret" answer of his. Jasper huffed at me and pulled my arms away, wrapping them around his neck. I walked into his arms as he hugged me to him. His breath was soft against me ear and I inhaled slowly.

"I told her that Emmett was inside," he whispered. I almost hadn't heard him, he had whispered _that_ softly. I just nodded into his shoulder and waited for him to tell me more.

"I told her to come back for the party, 'cause we didn't need him _distracted_ from finishing up." I laughed quietly into his neck; I knew what he had meant by 'distracted'. Alice and Jasper had told me many a story about just how 'distracted' Emmett could be when in the presence of Rosalie. I had never seen it myself of course and they always told me it was something I was better off not seeing.

Someone cleared their throat from beside us. I looked up from Jasper's neck and turned to see Alice standing there with her hands on her hips, trying to look intimidating and failing.

"You know, if I happened to be anybody else, I would think you two were out here making out_ instead _of helping us get ready for the party," she said tapping her shoe against the pavement.

I smirked at her and Jasper turned his head to look at her, placing his cheek next to mine. I think we both had the same idea at that particular second, because we both started grabbing at each other clothes and kissing each other all over one another's faces, completely missing each other's lips on purpose. We did this every once in a while, cause we both knew it would get a rise out of her. We never kissed on the mouth, just everywhere else on the face. It was really funny the first time Emmett walked in on us, he actually thought Jasper was cheating on Alice and almost beat the shit out of Jasper. That was before I had jumped on his back and wrestled him to the ground, telling him it was all a joke. Needless to say, Emmett just laughs along with us every time he see us do it now.

"Grrr! I wonder if Edward would find this funny?" she said.

Jasper and I pulled away from one another and just laughed. "Why don't you just ask him yourself Alice. He's standing right behind you," Jasper said still laughing as we both straightened out our clothes.

Alice's eyes went wide when she heard Edward's musical laugh behind her. I stared at Edward and actually hoped he knew we were just joking around. Jasper leaned into me again. "Yes, he knew. I heard him come out the door after Alice did and told him what to expect," he whispered.

_'Oh,'_ I thought, knowing if I was still human I might have blushed. Alice turned and faced Edward.

"Fuck! You are just as bad as these two!" she said throwing her arms in the air and stomping off.

"I better go after her," Jasper said before he disappeared around the corner, leaving Edward and I standing there just staring at one another. We actually hadn't had much time alone since we got back from California. We were both busy getting things ready for the party. Sending out personalized invites to a few of our friends up in Alaska. I was actually wondering if he had sent one to Rosalie and that's what she was _actually_ doing here. There was always something for everyone to do, the only time we actually all got together as a group was after we had fed and had to purge the memories from our minds.

I think I was actually nervous to be alone with him. Thinking back on the last time we were alone together sent a shiver down my spine. I looked up at himthrough my lashes and watched as his eyes turned black, sending another shiver across my body. I closed my eyes at the sensation and when I opened them again, Edward was standing directly in front of me, almost panting. I backed away from him slowly and watched as he walked toward me. Every step back I took, he took one forward, until my back was pressed up against the brick wall of the building. He brought his arms up and rested his palms against the wall, one on either said of my head. We just stared at one another for a handful of seconds, both of our breathing quite ragged.

"I've been waiting for days to get you alone. You'd think -- with five vampires doing all the work -- that things would have gotten finished days ago," he whispered as he skimmed his nose softly up the line of my jaw. My breathing hitched as I placed my hands tentatively on his hips.

I felt his lips ghost across my earlobe as he whispered, "Alice has been driving me nuts all morning recited the Greek alphabet forwards and backwards, over and over again."

He sucked my earlobe in between his lips and flicked it with his tongue. My insides were growing warmer and warmer by the nanosecond as my breathing became labored. He pulled his lips away. "Have any idea _why_ she was doing that, love?" he asked as he dragged his lips down the side of my neck. My eyes closed by themselves letting my body sink into the delicious feeling that was coursing through my system. My head fellback softly against the wall.

Edward pressed his hips into mine and I unabashedly groaned at the feeling of his body resting against mine. I splayed my fingers wide against his hips and dug in slightly. "Mmhmm," was all I could manage.

"Gonna tell me?" he asked as he pressed his hips in a little more. I licked my lips at the feeling.

_'No, but you if do that again I might,'_ I thought as I felt my walls cracking around the edges.

"Bella," he said. His voice had taken on a husky tone and I nearly swooned from the sound of it. I felt his right hand press in between my shoulder blades before he dragged it slowly down the center of my back, letting it rest on the small of my back.

"Come on love, tell me," he whispered as his hand ghosted down over my ass squeezing slightly. I shook my head in defiance and his hand continued down passed my ass, dragging it slowly down the back of my left thigh. He kneaded the back of my thigh and I felt the beginnings of dampness gather in my panties.

_'Not sure how much longer I can keep my shield up if he continues doing this,'_ I thought.

"I know your resolve is weakening Bella; I'm starting to get flashes of thoughts from you," he whispered as he resumed his delicious torture of dragging his lips up and down my neck. A kiss here, a random lick there, before his lips settled on the skin just below my ear.

_'Oh God, not_ there_!' _

I dug my fingers into his hips more, trying to hold on to my shield as long as possible before my willpower crumbled. His hand moved down to the back of my knee lifting it while pressing his hips further into mine. As soon as I felt the hardness of his groin pressing into my core my resolve broke and I breathed a single word.

"Rosalie."

His lips and tongue worked together on the patch of skin under my ear as his hips began to slowly thrust up into mine, creating a delicious friction I had never known before. His mouth pulled away slightly. "What about her?" he asked with another slow thrust of his hips. I moaned at the feeling and reciprocated with a thrust of my own. Edward growled deep in his chest. I moved my hands up to his neck where they buried themselves in his hair, lightly tugging on it. His arm left me knee -- my leg stayed wrapped around his hip as I was not about to give up this delicious friction we had begun -- and he curled it around my back, bringing our chests together.

"She was here." I breathed as he drew his tongue in one wet line starting at the base of neck and ending just below my ear.

I felt his other hand reach down slowly behind my right knee and pulled it up effortlessly. As soon as my ankles were crossed behind his back, he gave a slow, deep thrust of his hips into mine. "And?" he asked.

_'And I really wish there weren't any clothes between us right now, because you are driving my mad!,'_ I shouted in my mind, knowing he's hear it.

I heard Edward laugh quietly a second before his free hand cupped my cheek and brought my head up from the wall.

"Look at me," he said softly. I opened my eyes at his request and stared at his black ones. I knew my eyes were just as black and at that moment I couldn't care less, because the same desire and lust that were peering out of my eyes was staring back at me.

His lips came down softly against mine and I closed my eyes once again as a more potent stab of desire shot through my system and down to my core. His tongue easily parted my lips and snaked it's way into my awaiting mouth. He fed hungrily at my lips all the while softly thrusting his hips into mine. I moaned at the feeling and hated the fact that we were outside up against the side of the building. I wanted to be in my room above the bar. I wanted so many things at this moment.

_'Fucking clothes. They need to disappear!'_I thought angrily. I wanted to feel his skin moving against mine,his hard length driving into me with the same ferociousness as hislips and tongue as they ravaged my mouth. I wanted to rake my nails down the skin of his back while desparately asking him for more.

Edward's hand moved back into my hair and braided itself into my locks, tugging it slightly and earning him another moan.

Someone cleared their throat from beside us.

_'GOD DAMMIT!!!,'_my mind screamed. I was gonna kill whoever interrupted us, but thank them before their moment of death, because I didn't want my first time to be in the alleyway next to our bar.

I heard Edward growl quite loudly as we pulled our lips away from each other and turned to our soon-to-be-dead interrupter.

Emmett.

"Of course!" Edward growled. I unlocked my ankles from behind Edward's back and let them fall to the pavement to stand on my own. Edward's hands resumed their position of resting their palms against the wall on eitherside of my head.

"Is there any particular reason you like to cock-block me?" Edward asked in a tone that was not entirely friendly as he turned his head to stare at Emmett.

"Alice told me to," Emmett said with a knowing smirk on his face. Of course Alice would have seen the possible outcome of our intimate situation and I guess she too knew that my first time shouldn't be in an alleyway.

_'Thank you Alice,'_ I thought as I realized that there _would_ be another time for us to continue this.

"She also said to hurry your asses up and get inside and finish up," Emmett said before he turned and left.

Edward turned his head back to mine and smiled. His eyes had bled back to their usual green. I had always wondered why his eyes had stayed green after his transformation, while the rest of ours had turned into a beautiful butterscotch or topaz -- in the case of Emmett and Jasper.

_'I think I'm going to ask Carlisle about that the next time I see him,'_ I thought as I gazed up into the beautiful green eyes before me.

"What has you thinking so hard?" Edward asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and told him what I had been thinking. "I was just wondering why your eyes are still green. Everyone else's are topaz or butterscotch."

"Carlisle always said that we retain at least one part of our physical humanity. I guess mine was my eyes, like yours is your ability to cry," he said.

"And what about the others?" I asked as I circled his waist with my arms and hugged him. His arms dropped from the wall and hugged me back.

"Not sure. Never really thought to ask," he answered.

"Anytime now guys!" Alice yelled.

I lifted my head from Edward's chest and stared at the direction of her voice. She had once again appeared in the mouth of the alleyway and was looking just as annoyed as before.

"Yes mother!" I yelled back.

She just huffed and went back into the bar. With the slamming of the door, I turned back to Edward and softly kissed his lucious lips once.

"To be continued?" he asked against my lips.

I smirked. "You bet your ass we're going to continue this," and with that I pulled away and exited the alleyway. I even made sure to put an extra sway into my walk. I heard Edward groan behind me and I smirked.

_'Men can be so easy sometimes,'_ I thought.

* * *

_**A/N: Don't hate me guys. You will get your lemon, but I didn't want them to just jump into the sack yet. Next chapter will be the party and a coming together that is decades passed overdue. Stay with me! Reviews welcomed and encouraged!!**_


	16. Chapter 16 Pt 1

_**A/N: Well, got some new readers from last chapter and the most awesome review ever (You know who you are!). Let's just cut the crap and get this ball rollin'. Fate Lowe, once again, my faithful Beta! I split this chapter into two parts because it was extremely long after I was finished writing it.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**_

* * *

The party was in full swing by 11pm. The doors had opened at eight and the bar was almost at full capacity. Those who had received invites from us were the first to get in of course and as for the other patrons, well let's just say that _that_ linewrapped around the block. I was quite anxious to see if Carlisle and Esme showed up; I hadn't seem them in over three decades. The fact that they hadn't shown up yet was making me a little sad, but Jasper was keeping me occupied behind the bar because he could sense my anxiety.

The house band had been on stage for over a hour playing what was now referred to as 'oldies'. The songs they were playing were ones that we had grown up with listening to in high school, but hey, if you had to listen to the crap that they were calling 'music' nowadays, you wouldn't be complaining. Besides, our patrons loved our music choices.

Because of the outrageous amount of people who had shown up, Sam and Jared were our door bouncers for the evening. Jake and Seth were also bouncers for the party so that the rest of us could move around freely and cater to our guests. They were both walking around making sure everyone was having a good time and not getting into trouble.

Every one of us were decked out in our signature black bar t-shirts, complete with our bar name -- Eclipse -- in small red print on the upper left part of the shirt, so that newcomers could tell who we were. We had gotten a ton of offers from patrons asking if they could buy our shirts, but Alice and I refused every time we had gotten an offer. We had heard that some on-line t-shirt company was selling them for an insane amount of money, but when Carlisle had heard about it, he sent them an email stating that if they didn't stop selling them, that we would sue for copyright infringement. That's right, we had our shit copyrighted.

Over the course of the evening, Sam had radioed -- yes we wore tiny earpieces on our most busiest of evenings -- to either Alice or myself that someone was at the door wearing one of ouet-shirts -- an obvious fraud of course -- stating that they were 'staff' and were late, so to let them in quickly. This time though, the person that Sam had radioed to me about wasn't taking no for an answer.

I pressed the earpiece in a little to make sure I heard Sam correctly. "Alright Sam, I'm heading up. Hold them there." I rolled my eyes at the stupid things the person was yelling to Sam and searched the bar for relief. When I spotted Jasper hanging by the stage with Edward, I merely got up on the bar and yelled for him.

Edward's head turned in my direction with a slight smirk at seeing me standing on the bar top and nudged Jasper in his ribs. Jasper feigned pain and rubbed his ribs, lookedat Edward and gave him a look that clearly asked 'what the fuck?'. Edward titled his head in my direction and Jasper looked over at me. I waved at him and he rolled his eyes as he made his way over.

Edward must have been trying to tune out all the 'voices' around him, because he had such a look of concentration of his face.

_'Poor baby. I'll make it up to him later,'_ I thought as I stared at him and winked. Edward nodded his head and winked back.

"What's up Bells?" Jasper asked as he approached the bar.

I crouched down, resting on the balls of my feet. "Sam's got a situation at the door that I need to take of. Can you take over for say, fifteen minutes while I sort it out?" I asked.

"Sure," he said hopping over the bar top.

I jumped down off the bar and made my way to the door. At first the task was difficult due to the insane amount of people that crowded the bar area, but once I cleared that, the rest of the way was easy. As I approached the doors I could clearly hear a woman yelling at Sam and Jared stating that if they didn't let her in that Alice and I would be pissed and that they would get fired. Jared saw me standing just to the left of the doors and winked at me. I shook my head telling him not to say anything yet.

"I'm serious guys. Ask her, I work here!" the woman whined.

Jared was looking at me out of the corner of his eye and I nodded at him. He cleared his throat as he blocked the entrance to the bar so she couldn't see me.

"Ask her yourself," I said as I placed my hand on Jared's left shoulder and pulled it away, letting the woman see me.

Her jaw dropped for a second at seeing me standing there, but quickly recovered and pounced on me, hugging me like I was her best friend. I patted her back awkwardly and moved away from her to stand in the middle of Jared and Sam. We had now made getting into the bar impossible, our bodies making a wall between the still long line of people waiting to get in and the party behind us.

"Oh Bella, thank god you're here! Tell these two clowns to let me in," she said to me gesturing to Sam and Jared.

I took a moment to look at her. I had actually seen her here before about three months ago, but not a day since. She was in fact wearing one of our bar shirts, but it was clearly a fake. No one but us had these shirts, but it was a good knock-off. The tell-tale sign of a fake was the color of thread used in embroidering our bar's logo on the shirt. It was a color of red that Alice had invented herself and had the patent on it. The color on his woman's shirt was a nasty cranberry red, close, but far too bright to match the actual color. Only vampires and werewolves could tell the difference between the two. Sam and Jared could clearly tell and did their job at keeping this woman out of my bar.

I looked at my bouncers for the evening, both their looks said that they were washing their hands of the sitaution. I turned back to the woman.

"Look...."

"Jessica," she said.

"Right. Look Jessica, I don't know where you got your shirt from, but it isn't one of ours," I said flatly crossing my arms over my chest.

"Of course it is. Alice gave it to me last week," she retorted.

I snorted. She was obviously lying now, we weren't even in this state last week, let alone that Alice would _give_ one of our shirts away.

"Funny you should say that, 'cause we weren't even here last week. There's no way you could have gotten that shirt from Alice. So, if you could just turn around and go back to the end of line and wait your turn, you'll get in eventually," I said.

"But I've been waiting for two hours to get in," she whined.

"Not my problem," I said as I started to turn to go back in.

A hand slapped on to my upper right arm. I stared at it for a second before tracing the arm back to its owner, who happened to of course be, Jessica. I glared at her for a second them looked back at her hand that was still gripping my arm.

"If you want to keep that hand attached to your body, I suggest you remove it from my arm," I said, gritting my teeth and looking back up into her eyes.

She stared at me defiantly. "Not until you let me in," she seethed.

I gripped her fingers with my left hand and squeezed slightly. Her eyes widened at the strength of my grip, but didn't let up.

"Sam, have Miss Jessica escorted from the property. If she attempts to get back in line, call the cops," I said as I removed her hand from my arm.

Sam grabbed Jessica by her shoulders and all but shoved her away from the entrance, a firm grip on her left arm as he escorted her down the street. She kept looking back at me with a death glare. I just laughed as did Jared.

"Thanks Bella. I told her you wouldn't let her get in, but she wouldn't listen," Jared said.

"Jared, in my long lifetime, I have noticed that most Jessica's never listen," I said as I walked back into the bar laughing. "I'll send Seth out until Sam gets back." Jared nodded and went back to checking IDs.

As soon as I spotted Seth, I signalled for him to come to the door as I made my way back to the bar. With a nod of his head he started moving toward it, passing me along the way and patting my back.

I was almost back at the bar when Alice came dancing over to me. "Bella, I just got off the phone with Esme. She and Carlisle should be here in ten minutes!" she said bouncing up and down. My heart jumped at the news of them actually showing up.

I pressed in my earpiece and looked back toward the front doors. "Jared?" I saw him press in his earbud and looked back at me nodding for me to go ahead.

"The parental units will be here in ten minutes, let them in as soon as you spot them."

"Sure thing Bella," Jared said turning back to the line of people.

"Bella! I can't wait to see them! It's been what, almost four decades?" Alice asked.

I couldn't help but smile at her and her excited mood. I was excited myself; I just hid it better. "Alice, you need to calm down for at least thirty seconds. You jumping up and down like a bunny on crack will not help them get here any sooner," I laughed, placing my hands on her shoulders to stop her jumping up and down.

"I can't help it!" she nearly screamed.

I snorted. "Well try. I gotta go back to the bar and relieve Jasper. Make sure that he knows, just in case he didn't hear me talking to Jared," I said.

"Will do!" she said as she bounced off.

_'I swear, if they could bottle her bounciness and sell it, it would become the latest drug craze!,'_ I thought as I made my way back to the bar.

Jasper had just finished pouring a row of shots as I moved behind the bar. There were too many people in front of it for me to jump over, so I took the human way around it. I patted his left shoulder as he was opening a bottle of beer to let him know I was back.

"Go ahead and go Jazz, I got this," I said as an order for three shots of whiskey was called. I quickly -- but at a human pace -- made the shots and passed them off to the awaiting customer. Cash was exchanged, but still Jasper wasn't moving from behind the bar. He just continued to fill order after order.

"Jazz, seriously, I got this. You can go," I said moving behind him to grab a bottle of bourbon.

"Bells, in case you haven't noticed, there is no way you can take care of every person standing here. Besides, it'll make the time go by quicker. I don't want to just stand around waiting for mom and dad to show up," he said moving to the next customer.

"You heard me, huh?"

Jasper gave me the 'duh' look and went to fill the next order. "Actually, Alice radioed and told me," he said smirking as set up another row of shots.

"Over-excited pixie," I muttered.

"Oh give it a rest, Bella. You are just as excited as she is. Did you suddenly forget I was an empath?"

"No."

Exactly eight minutes and forty-five seconds later, Alice came dancing over to the bar and moved behind it.

"They're here! They're here, they're here, they're here!" she sang as she moved to kiss me on my cheek before dancing over to Jasper and doing the same.

"Fuck Alice, calm down and move. I don't think the customers care if Carlisle and Esme are here," I said as I moved around her to fill the next order. Though truthfully, I was so nervous at the thought of seeing them, I almost dropped a bottle of vodka. Me, a vampire, dropping something, unheard of!

"Ladies and gents! Can I get your attention for a second?" Emmett's loud voice sounded over the PA system. Jasper and I both stopped mid-motion and stared at the stage. The entire bar flew into silence awaiting Emmett's next words. Standing just behind Emmett were Carlisle and Esme, both looking as beautiful as ever. My mouth suddenly went dry and I felt tears stinging my eyes.

"I just wanted to introduce two very special people, who have traveled all the way from Alaska to be here tonight." He motioned them forward and put an arm around each of them. They were both smiling as they looked out over the crowded bar. I spotted Edward standing on the left side of the stage, he too was smiling. It had been a longer time for him since the last time he saw them.

"This is Carlisle and Esme Cullen, our parents. Let's give them a cheer for traveling such a long way to be here tonight!" Emmett said as he turned to kiss Esme on her head. The whole bar erupted in cheers of joyous noise as Carlisle and Esme waved to the crowd. Emmett pulled his arms away and grabbed the mic.

"Alright. Enough of this sentimental bullshit! Let's party!" he yelled, earning him a smack on the back of his head from Esme, which in turn got the whole bar laughing.

"Mom! Not in front of my customers," Emmett whined as they walked offthe stage and the band started back up. The customers just continued to laugh for a couple of minutes then went back to talking and dancing.

I watched as Carlisle and Esme both approached Edward. The three of them just stood there staring at one another before Esme engulfed Edward in hug. The tears I had been holding back spilled over at the sight. I sniffled once and felt something land on my right shoulder. I turned my head and saw **(a) **clean hand towel hanging off my shoulder. I grabbed it off and turned to see Jasper had gone back to filling drink orders with a smile on his face. I wiped my tears away and saw Alice particularly vibrating from excitement. I just shook my head and threw the towel at her. She flinched as it landed on her head. She quickly grabbed it off and glared at me.

"Go Alice. Jasper and I can wait our turn," I said as I moved and shoved her out from behind the bar. She turned and smiled and almost flew over to the stage where Carlisle and Esme were. I watched as she nearly knocked over Carlisle from jumping on him. I heard Jasper laugh behind me and I turned to look at him.

"Maybe we should get Jacob and Seth to take over while we go say hi," he said placing his hands on my shoulders and rubbing them.

_'Calm, yes. Rubbing my shoulders makes me calm,'_ I thought as Jasper kissed my temple and radioed to Jacob.

"Yeah, can you and Seth take over while Bella and I go say hi?" Jasper asked.

"We'll come over in a minute. They are heading our way; Seth wants to say hi too," Jacob said as I heard it through my earpiece as well.

Jasper just nodded and went back to attending to customers. No sooner than two minutes later, Seth and Jacob walked behind the bar and grabbed the two bottles of beer out of my hands. I flinched the second they disappeared from my hands, not expecting to see Jacob smiling at me as he passed off the beer to a customer.

"Go on Bells. Me and Seth can take care of everything here," Jake said.

I nodded my head and pointed to the next customer. "J.D. on the rocks and two gin and tonics," I said.

Jacob bent down and whispered, "I know Bella; I heard them. Sometimes I think _my_ hearing is better than _yours_. I said go."

I felt Jasper taking my hand in his, pulling me along behind him as I watched Seth and Jacob pouring drinks. I was suddenly very nervous and I wasn't entirely sure why.

"Relax Bella, it's just Carlisle and Esme," Jasper said as he looked over his shoulder at me.

_'Right. Carlisle and Esme. Why should I be nervous?' _

Jasper and I weaved our way through the crowd, making our way over to the stage where Edward, Alice, Carlisle and Esme stood just to the right of the stage. Edward lifted his head when he saw us approaching, which signalled Esme to turn around with the biggest smile on her face. Carlisle turned as well with a smile and I disengaged my hand from Jasper's and ran to them. I think Carlisle had been prepared for my hug, because he didn't move when I basically tackled him from the force of my hug. His arms came around me, encasing me as I buried my head in his shoulder and cried. Since Charlie died, Carlisle had taken the role of my adopted father very seriously. He knew he could never replace Charlie, but gave me the fatherly love that I was so desperately missing after Charlie had died.

"I've missed you," he whispered bringing one hand up to sooth my hair. I could only nod. My tears were making my throat tight, not allowing me to form any words. I felt a hand rubbing small circles on my back -- knowing it was Jasper from the calm that was making its way through my system -- Isniffled once and pulled back to see Carlisle smiling down at me. He kissed my left temple and released me from our hug.

"Sorry," I whispered as I wiped at the tears that were still falling from my eyes.

"Don't be. Tears can say things that words cannot express," he said.

_'Yeah, like I am a wimp when it comes to__my adoptive parents,'_ I thought sourly.

I turned into Jasper's hand at my back and saw Esme smiling at me, patiently waiting her turn. She stepped up to me and smoothed some hair out of my face.

"My beautiful daughter, it's been far too long," she said as she smiled and moved to hug me. I thought that I was done crying, but oh how I was wrong. The moment she embraced me and I her, they came like a downpour from my eyes. I felt her turn her head away from me. "Alice, be a dear and grab some tissues," she said.

I squeezed Esme tighter, hoping to convey without words how much I had missed her. I know that Renee was my _real_ mother, but I had always felt like our roles had been reversed and that I was _her_ mother instead of her being mine. It was weird when she passed, surprisingly not too much longer after Charlie had died, only two years. I felt like I was mourning the loss of a child, whereas when Charlie died it most definitely felt like the loss of a parent. Esme took great care of me both times and after Renee died I had almost immediately started calling Esme 'mom'. I felt guilty for the first couple of years, but Jasper had explained that I had always saw Esme as a 'mom' to me. The guilt never fully went away, even after Jasper's affirmation.

"Here ya go Bella," Alice said from behind me. I looked up at her and smiled as I took the tissues from her outstretched hand and stared wiping my face. Esme pulled back and cupped my face in her hands, smiling at me. I smiled back. "I missed you too," I whispered.

"I'm glad to see my son finally came to his senses," she said looking over my head to I could only guess was Edward.

"Yeah, yeah. I was an idiot. Everyone has already explained that me. I don't need a lecture from the two of you," Edward said as he came up behind me wrapping his arms around my waist.

I sank back into his arms and smiled as I watched Esme hug Jasper. I know how much he missed her too.

"You sure about that Edward? I think it might be time to have that father-son talk that has been put off for almost a century," Carlisle joked as he moved to Esme's side. He gave Jasper the good 'ole one-arm hug and stepped back.

"No need Carlisle, Emmett and I already took care of that," Jasper said. Alice moved in and molded herself to his side.

"Speaking of Emmett, where is he?" I asked as I searched the bar.

"Oh, a couple of guys were harassing Seth, so Emmett went to take care of it," Alice said.

Emmett came over looking a little perturbed and cursing under his breath. "What's wrong Emmett?" I asked.

"Nothing, just some stupid frat boys thinking they could con Seth into giving them free drinks. Seth told them theywere way over their alcohol limit, but they weren't listening to him or Jacob, so he asked me to step in," he said.

"This is a really nice place you kids have here. I'm sorry we haven't been down before, but our world tour took a little bit longer than expected," Esme said as she squeezed Carlisle's side with a smug smile plastered to her face.

"Please mom, no talk about your sexual advertures with dad," Emmett whined.

"Oh hush," she said playfully smacking his arm.

It felt nice having the family back together, but it was still incomplete without Rosalie here. I was getting nervous at the thought of her showing up. It had been decades since her and Emmett last saw each other, probably longer than that. I wasn't exactly sure of the math; I never thought to ask.

Just as I was wondering when she would show up, the bar went eerily silent and I saw Alice's face light up like a Christmas tree as she looked over toward the door. I followed her line of sight and there stood Rosalie in all her beautiful blonde glory.

"Hey, what are we all staring at? And why did everyone get--" Emmett trailed off, no doubt seeing Rosalie standing at the door.

I turned back to see Emmett's expression at seeing Rosalie standing there. His jaw had dropped open and I lifted my hand to close it.

"Holy shit!" he whispered. His face was frozen in shock as he stood there drinking in the sight of her. I turned again to see Rosalie making her way over to us. Every head in the bar followed her. She stopped in front of Emmett and smiled up at him, while he just stood there awestruck.

I saw Jasper nudge Emmett in the side. "Emmett?" he asked. Emmett shook his head quickly and cleared his throat.

_'Wow! Emmett speechless? Who knew?'_ I thought.

We all stared at the two of them, waiting in eager anticipation for either of them to speak. It was Rosalie who broke the silence.

"Surprise," she whispered.

"You got that right!" Jacob hollered from across the bar.

"Jesus Emmett, hug the woman!" Jacob yelled again and other's around the bar joined in, yelling at Emmett to hug her.

I could see fire in Emmett's eyes as he gazed at Rosalie and when I looked at her, she had the same look in her eyes. I saw Jasper nudge Emmett again, forcing the frozen vampire to stumble forward.

"What took you so long?" Emmett whispered as he suddenly engulfed Rosalie in a hug. She hugged him with just as much force as he gave her. The whole bar erupted in noise, followed by catcalls and whistles as they went from hugging to full-blown making out.

_'Well, I guess time hasn't erased their love for one another after all. Hmpf.'_ I thought as I took in the make-out scene before me.

"Get a room!" Sam shouted from the door.

Emmett pulled back and stared at Rosalie. "I fully plan on it," Emmett replied scooping her up in his arms. Rosalie just laughed as they disappeared out the back door.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that we won't be seeingthem for the rest of the night," Jasper said laughing.

"Actually, Jazz, you better make that the rest of the _week_," Alice said winking at him.

"It's great to have the family back together," Carlisle said hugging Esme to his side.

"I couldn't agree more," Edward said tightening his arms around my waist before kissing my neck.

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_**A/N: Show me some love and I will give you guys the second part to this chapter!**_


	17. Chapter 16 Pt 2

_**A/N: Ok guys, here is the second part to CH 16, and trust me....this is the one you guys have been waiting for! ;) Fate Lowe is my partner in crime and my faithful Beta! Be gentle...it's my first time.**_

_**Diclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and a 12 pack of Diet Coke.**_

* * *

Carlisle and Esme stayed for the whole party, which was surprising, but I wasn't complaining at all. I was elated that they were even here. Carlisle even rolled up his sleeves at one point during the party and got behind the bar to help out Jacob and Seth. It was actually kind of fun to watch him pouring shot after shot, flirting with the females. The patrons loved him. A few of the females that he had flirted with even asked Alice and I if he would be returning. We both laughed, but shook our heads, which earned us pouts from them.

The band had finally cleared out and Sam and Jared were collecting lighting equipment from the stage while Alice and Jasper cleaned up the bar. Seth and Jacob were bringing in cases of alcohol to replenish the stock as Esme and Carlisle we dancing around to the music that came from the portable stereo that Seth had brought it. Edward sat on the stage with me tucked in between his legs with my back resting against his chest. My head was resting against his shoulder as I watched Carlisle and Esme dancing. Alice had informed me that I worked entirely too much during the party while she was off having fun, so she said I could step-down from cleaning duties and relax. How nice. In actuality, she was actually giving me time to spend with Edward seeing as we had barely spoken two words to each other all night.

"Seth, could you do me a favor and run out to our car and retrieve the parcel from the backseat?" Carlisle asked throwing Seth his car keys.

"No problem Dr. C," he said placing a case of beer on top of the bar before catching the keys. He disappeared out the door two seconds later.

"Gee, thanks Carlisle. Leave me to put all the beer away," Jacob grumbled as he opened the case that Seth had abandoned.

"Oh hush pup! This was a favor for you," Carlisle said as he twirled Esme away from his body.

"Carlisle, don't call him that!" Esme chastised.

"Thank you Esme," Jacob said sweetly smiling at her.

I looked over at Alice as she winked at Jasper. He looked over at me and smiled.

_'Am I missing something?'_ I thought.

Edward kissed the side of my head and I felt him smile against my skin, no doubt knowing from Alice's thought what was going on.

"What's going on?" I asked I turned my head to look up at Edward.

"You'll see," he whispered as he kissed my forehead softly.

Seth came through the door with a small package tucked under one arm while he shut the door behind him with the other. He tossed Carlisle's keys back to him and made his way over to the bar, setting the package down on top. I pulled away from Edward's arms and made my way over to the bar with everyone else trailing behind me.

"So how are we going to do this?" Alice asked, clearly excited about the contents of the package.

Jacob came around from behind the bar and grabbed my hands in his turning me toward him. I looked up at him in curiosity.

_'Seriously, what is going on?'_ I thought. Jacob's face was clearly lined with so many emotions, it was hard to read them all. Guilt was there, but so was panic, relief, and sincerity.

"Jake?"

He opened his eyes and looked down at me, his eyes were glittering with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry about your pictures Bella," he whispered.

I took one hand away from his and cupped the side of his face. "Hey, it's ok. It was an accident. Sure, I was upset. I mean, I broke your jaw for fuck's sake, but I got over it," I said softly, trying to tell him with my eyes that I meant every word.

Jacob snorted at my words. "Yeah, I'm still having a hard time eating solid foods because of you," he said smiling slightly. I dropped my hand from his face and he immediately grasped it once again.

Everyone laughed, even Carlisle and Esme.

"It's just, I know what the photos meant to you and I destroyed them, maybe not literally, but they got destroyed nonetheless," he said.

Edward came up and placed a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "I think you should show her," he said.

"Show me what?" I asked looking between Edward and Jake. I heard the faint sound of ripping paper before I heard Jasper say, "Bella, turn around."

I turned from Jacob and Edward to look at what Jasper was holding in his hands. I felt Jacob's hands squeeze mine as he too saw what Jasper was holding. I don't think my mind was registering what was in front of me, but my heart did and tears just blossomed from my eyes and traced cold tracks down my cheeks. I looked back at Jacob who was also crying silently along with me and nodded his head. I squeezed his hands before dropping them and turned fully around to _really_ look at what Jasper was holding up in front of me. It was picture frame, but it was what the frame was holding that really meant anything to me.

My pictures of Charlie and I.

From my graduation.

And they were perfect.

_'How?'_ I thought taking the frame from Jasper's hands, staring at the photos through blurred vision.

I turned back around to Jacob. "How..." I cleared my throat. "How did you get these? I thought..." my voice trailing off.

"The day you, Jasper and Alice came here looking for property, Charlie called Billy and asked if I would come down and see him. When I got there, he gave me a key and told me that it was to a safety deposit box that he and Renee had put together for you. He told me not to open it unless there was an emergency and well, this was an emergency. He told me that all you would ever need would be in that box, I just wasn't aware of how much that statement meant until I opened it. I gave the key to Carlisle the night he and Esme left and told him to hold on to it. So after Felix left that night, I called Carlisle and asked him to retrieve the deposit box and hold it for me until I could get up there."

I nodded at his explaination. "So that's why you were gone all day Wednesday?" I asked clutching the picture frame to my chest like a shield.

"Yeah, I had Alice book my flight two weeks ago so I could get up to Alaska and open that box. Inside I found the photos. There was a note attached to them stating that Renee had the copies made after Charlie had passed and she thought that if something were to ever happen to them, that you would still have proof that Charlie loved you," he said, sniffling at the end, because he loved Charlie like a second father and I could tell just how much he still missed him. Even after all these decades.

"I had Emse blow the pictures up and frame them and asked her to bring them when they came down for the party," Jake whispered, smiling slightly.

I set the frame on the bar and threw my arms around Jacob's massive shoulders, hugging him as tightly as I dared. His returning hug almost put Emmett's bear hugs to shame, but we won'ttell Emmett that. It would bruise his ego.

We both silently cried on to one another's shoulders. Tears of sadness, tears of grief, and tears of happiness, at least on my part for having my pictures of Charlie back. After several sniffles we pulled back from one another. I was so giddy over the whole thing, I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him hard on the lips. I pulled back before he could think that the kiss meant something different, but when I did he was smiling and that's all that mattered.

Edward cleared his throat and I turned my head to see him smirking at me, then glared openly at Jake.

"Don't even think it mutt," Edward growled.

Jake just laughed and hugged me again. "Too late!" he said as he twirled me around laughing even harder.

"Put me down Jake. I'm pretty sure Edward would break more than just your jaw," I said laughing.

Jacob set me down and Edward all but yanked me into his arms, clearly not liking what Jacob was thinking.

"Why don't you just piss on her leg to mark your territory," Jacob joked earning a smack in the back of his head from Sam. "Ow!" Sam gave him a look that said, 'well, you deserved it.'

"Thank you Sam. You just saved my mother from doing the same thing," Jasper said.

Jacob looked at Esme, who by the way had a look on her face that said she was clearly thinking about still doing it. Jacob ducked his head. "Sorry Esme," he whispered. You know, for as big as Jacob is, he was scared shit-less of Esme. Funny and sad, but true.

I shrugged Edward's arms off and went over to Esme. "I can't tell you how much this means to me. Thank you," I said as I hugged her. She returned the hug saying, "Your welcome dear. Anything to see you smile again, though I see my son is doing a good job at that." I nodded against her shoulder and pulled away, only to hug Carlisle next.

"You don't need to thank me Bella. Esme did all the work; I just merely remembered to put it in the car," he said as pulled back and kissed my forehead.

"Hey, how come he gets to do that?" Jacob whined.

I looked back at Jacob and glared. "Because he earned it," I said matter-of-factly.

"Alright, I think it's time we all head out. Luckily the bar is closed tomorrow, so Bella, I will see you Monday afternoon," Jasper throwing Alice over his right shoulder.

"Will you need us again Bella?" Sam asked.

"No, not until the weekend, you know that," I replied with a smile. The wolves usually helped out on the weekends -- with the occasion of Seth and Jake coming in and lending a hand during the week -- but they came by nearly everyday for dinner. Sam and Jared said they couldn't get enough ofour signature wings. Little did they know, that I only cooked them for them especially. Shhh...it'll be our little secret.

Hugs were given and everybody filed out the front door. Carlisle and Esme promised to come down and visit more often now that they were back in the states, which excited all of us. I think mostly me, but who was I to complain. I walked back over to the bar and picked up the picture frame that housed my most precious memories of Charlie and I and just stared at it before moving behind the bar to hang in on the wall in the empty space in between the other photos.

Hearing the click of the dead-bolt brought me to awareness. I turned and looked toward the door where I saw Edward leaning casually against it. Arms crossed over his chest, left knee bent with his foot resting against the door and that sexy smirk plastered to his face. I suddenly realized that we were alone. Together. With no one -- Emmett -- to interrupt us. Oh, the possibilities that have presented themselves before us. I was all the sudden thankful for being the one to take the apartment above the bar. Alice and Jasper had an apartment down the street while Emmett opted to stay closer to me and was in the building across the street from the bar.

_'Hmmm...what to do to pass the time?'_ I thought with a smirk of my own.

I came around from behind the bar and casually leaned my back against it with my arms folded across my chest, just staring at the God that stood by the door. Edward lifted a hand and pointed at me before curling it towards his body, signaling to me to come to him. I just shook my head and remained leaning against the bar. His eyebrows shot up and he once again curled his finger. I just stared at him and shook my head.

I lowered my shield. _'You want me? Come and get me,'_ I thought biting my lower lip.

I watched his eyes darken with hearing my thought; he pushed himself off the door and stalked toward me with slow calculated steps. Watching him move toward me with sensuousness and grace, my breathing hitched and quickened slightly. I couldn't wrap my head around what was about to happen. I wasn't scared, quite the contrary, I was anxious and eager. My body felt swollen with need and want for the man that was now merely ten feet from me and closing fast.

Before I could even blink his lips were on mine and I lost all thought as he wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me into his hard body. My hands went automatically to his hair and Edward groaned as I tugged lightly on his bronze tresses. His fingers flexed and dug into my hips through my shirt, before he lifted the hem and splayed his fingers wide against my bare skin. I moaned at the contact and pressed my body into his more as our lips and tongues danced together. Edward's hands slowly moved to the small of my back before he lowered them inch by inch until his was cupping my ass. He squeezed slightly and lifted. I knew what he wanted and jumped, wrapping my legs around his waist. As soon as our centers touched, we both moaned at the contact. I could feel him firm and ready for me through both of our jeans and I moaned loudly at the thought of what he would feel like without any clothing between us.

'_Delicious.'_

Edward's lips pulled away from mine only to move them to neck, where he licked and nipped at my skin. My fingers pulled harder on his hair as I struggled to say the next words. "Edward.....bedroom....upstairs," I breathed as he continued to lick and suckle at my neck. He grunted at my words and moved us away from the bar. I felt my back hit the wall and I moaned again as Edward thrust his hips into mine, creating a delicious friction between our bodies. I moved my hands from his hair to his shirt and quickly started to undo the buttons of the shirt that stood in my way of getting to the flesh underneath. As soon as I unbuttoned the last button, I splayed my hands over the muscular expanse of his chest, relishing in the feeling on his skin.

Edward pinned me against the wall with his hips and moved his hands away from cupping my bottom so I could remove the offending piece of clothing. The shirt fell unwanted to floor behind him and he took the opportunity and quickly lifted my shirt over my head. My eyes locked with his and I nodded slowly at him, telling him to continue. His hands made quick work on my bra and it too was discarded to the floor at our feet. I watched as his eyes drank in the sight of my bare chest and I nearly came right then when his eyes locked once again with mine. They were black with hunger and want and need. At that moment, I knew my eyes mirrored his. Edward wrapped his left arm around my back gripping my waist tightly as his right hand came up and palmed my left breast. My nipple pebbled under his skin and I arched my chest into his hand, silently begging him to finish what we started.

His lips once again claimed mine as he moved us away from the wall and blindly started to climb the stairs while kneading the flesh of my breast. I was vaguely aware that we had entered my bedroom. My body was on fire and all I could do was _feel_. His lips and tongue moving against mine, his hands kneading my skin, our hips grinding against one another, my hands grasping his shoulders and digging my fingers into the hard flesh there. It was almost too much, almost.

My back made contact with the soft fabric on my comforter as Edward placed us in the center of my bed. He moved his arm from behind my back up to my neck where he cradled it. His other hand was still kneading the fleshy mound of my breast, every once in a while pinching and rolling the taut nipple between his fingers. My hands moved slowly down his chest until they stopped at the waistband of his jeans. I skimmed the back of my fingers of one hand back and forth across his waist as the other reached around and grabbed his ass, pulling his hips into mine.

"Bella..." Edward's voice was thick with need as he pulled away from my lips once again and moved down to the breast in his hand. His tongue drew wet circles around the hardened peak and I nearly screamed when he bit gently into my skin, my legs squeezing tighter around his waist.

All too soon Edward pulled away, slowly dragging his fingers from behind my neck and his lips from my breast as he sat back on his knees. My legs fell from around his waist, planting themselves on either side of him. He stared down at me as I stared up at him, waiting for his next move. Electricity crackled in the air and the truth of the moment was settling into my skin.

"Don't stop," I whispered, immediately missing the contact of his skin against mine.

He smirked. "I don't plan to."

He moved his hands down to the button of my jeans and flicked it open. The zipper came down next. The room was so silent, you could hear each individual metal tooth coming undone. I lifted my hips to assist Edward as he slowly pulled the jeans from my legs. My shoes and socks came next, followed by his, but he was still wearing his jeans. From my point of view, they looked uncomfortably tight with the hardness of his erection. I lay there in the middle of my bed, covered only in my panties, and gazed at him. He stood up on his knees and locked his eyes with mine as he moved with deliberate slowness to the button of his jeans. I moved my eyes from his to his fingers in awe as he slowly undid the button and zipper. I could see this erection straining against the fabric of his cotton boxer briefs. I licked my lips at the sight. He moved backward on with knees and stood at he end of the bed, my eyes following his every move. His jeans were open, but he made no move to lower them, so I sat up as he stood there and moved to crawl on my hands and knees to his awaiting figure.

I stood up on my knees and placed my hands on his waist for leverage as I swung my legs off the bed to stand in front of him. His gaze was dark and heated as he watched me slowly push thejeans down his hips. They fell unaided to his ankles where heslowly bent down -- his eyes still locked with mine -- and removed them the rest of the way.

We now stood facing one another, each only in our underwear, waiting for the other to move. His hands moved to my hips and slowly sat me on the edge of the bed. I crawled backwards to the center and laid back as he climbed onto the bed and moved to lay next to me on my right. He leaned on his left elbow and cupped my face with his right hand, turning my face towards himand capturing my lips once again with his. I moaned as his tongue slid into my awaiting mouth and tangled with mine. I rolled my body toward his and hitched my leg over his lip as he slid his in between mine. His thigh pressed against my core and I knew he could feel how wet and ready I was for him as I could feel his arousal digging into my hip. My hands flew to his hair and tugged as he moved his thigh up and down my core, spreading my wetness further and moaned into my mouth.

Edward moved his hand from my face down the side of my body. His fingers ghosting over my breast and down to my hip. He gently nudged my leg back a little and moved his hand across waist until it dipped down to cup my clothed core.

"Edward..." I moaned, pulling my lips from his as his fingers moved in slow circles before moving them up to the waistband of my panties. We locked gazes as he dipped his fingers below the waistband and moved down to my slick folds.

"Fuck Bella," he grunted as he parted my wet skin and traced my entrance with his middle finger. My hands tugged on his hair willing him to continue and all but died from sheer pleasure as he sank two fingers into my core. My hips arched into hishand as he slowly thrust his fingers in and out of my body.

_'Oh god,'_I thought as his thumb moved up to run against my clit. My leg pulled his hand further into me and he took the invitation and sped up the thrusting of his fingers. White heat began to bubble under the surface of my skin in the pit of my belly. This new sensation was foreign to me -- I had never had an orgasm before -- but it was so undeniably pleasurable that I didn't care and wanted more. I voiced my pleasure loud and clear.

"More..." I moaned and Edward curled his fingers and stroked a spot deep within me that I never knew existed. My body was shaking in pleasure as he tapped the tips of his fingers in rapid succession against the spot. The heat that bubbled under my skin began to race through my veins at an alarming pace and I started panting. My body felt like a coil being twisted, tighter and tighter until I wasn't sure if I could contain the tension any longer.

"Come for me Bella," Edward whispered as his mouth latched itself unto my left nipple. The feeling of his fingers working that spot and his tongue flicking my nipple sent my body alight with fire. My eyes closed and body exploded in pleasure as the tension in my body began to unravel. I moaned loudly, unable to contain myself as wave after wave of the most erotic pleasure swept through my body.

"Edward," I moaned as I clutched his head to my breast and my leg tightened around his hip trying to prolong this pleasure as long as I could. But all too soon the pleasure ebbed and I lay there panting as Edward's lips pulled back from my breast.

I stared up at him through lidded eyes. I felt drunk from passion and wanted nothing more than to feel him inside of me again, only this time with his hardness that he was slowly thrustinginto myhip once again.

"I want you," I said, biting my lower lip and he nodded his head slowly.

Edward removed his hand from my panties and slowly put them into his mouth, sucking my wetness from them.

"Mmmm, you taste _so_ good," he moaned as he pulled his fingers from his mouth.

I removed my leg from his waist and laid back against the bed as he sat up. He moved so that he wasnestled in between my legs and slowly removed my panties, all the while locking his eyes with mine. He came back up my body and rested his weight upon his forearms on either side of my head. My hands moved to his waist and hooked my thumbs into the sides of his boxer briefs and slowly inched them down his hips. His erection sprang forth and lightly tapped against my core causing me to moan. I couldn't help myself; I looked down at his body and my eyes widened at the sight of him so hard and ready. I nearly came again at the sight. Edward took over and finished removing his underwear. This was it. Nothing stood in our way. No clothes, no Emmett, nothing, but skin against skin and I was panting from it.

Edward rested his forearms on either side of my head and stared down at me. All I saw was love and want and need and desire from his eyes and nearly moaned at seeing it.

"You're sure?" he whispered.

I dropped my shield. _'As sure as I would never want someone as much as I want you,'_ I thought.

Edward smiled and slowly ran his right hand down the side of my body. His fingertips ghosted over my breast until his hand stopped at my thigh. He lifted my thigh slightly and I felt the tip of erection pressing against my entrance.

"You know this is gonna hurt a little, right? I'll be gentle, " he whispered as his left hand cupped my face. He ran the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip, his eyes trained on the movement of this thumb, before he looked back up at me. I lifted my neck and captured his lips, moaning as his sweet tongue slid into my mouth. His hand slid back into my hair, anchoring my mouth to his.

Edward slowly slid into my body, inch by inch, until he met my barrier and stopped. He pulled his lips back and gazed down at me. I could feel a pressure deep within my core, but it wasn't as unpleasant as I had thought. My breathing picked up as I stared up at Edward.

"I trust you," I whispered as I brought my hands up to cup the sides of his neck.

Edward took me at my words and slowly thrust past my barrier. The pressure popped like the popping of a balloon, quick and effortless. It actually didn't hurt at all, but I still hissed at the invasion of my body and dug my fingers slightly into his neck. Edward paused, "Are you ok?"

I hand't known until he said something that I realized that my eyes were closed. I opened them to see Edward staring down at me, concern written all over his face, but concentration was there to. It looked like his mind was fighting his body _not_ to move yet.

"Yeah, it's just a little bit overwhelming," I panted.

Edward smirked. "I know what you mean."

He leaned down and kissed me as he pulled out slowly before thrusting back in. My back arched off the bed at the pleasure I felt, tearing away from our kiss.

"Better?" he asked placing soft kisses all over my face.

"Oh yeah," I said nodding my head rapidly.

Edward never asked again as he pulled out once again only to thrust back in a second later. He wasn't slow, but he wasn't fast. He was perfect; he could read what my body wanted and gave it me. My hands moved from his neck to his shoulders as I lifted my legs to encircle his waist, inviting more of him in. That first thrust at the new angle I gave him tore a pleasurable cry from my lips and a loud grunt form his.

"Bella..."

"More..." I gasped as he continued to thrust unyieldingly into my body. His arms came around and circled my waist. He lifted me up as he sank back onto his knees, so that our chests were pressed tightly to one another's. Neither one of us moved. Our faces were inches apart, staring at each other as our bodies remained connected in the most intimate embrace. I didn't want to move. I wanted to stay locked together as we were right at the moment and never move again. The feeling of his body buried so deep into mine brought tears to my eyes; I don't think I could explain them.

A lone tear escaped its prison and trailed down my cheek. Edward leaned in and kissed the stray tear away from my face. He pulled back and smiled. I think he knew what the tears meant.

Absolute happiness.

One hand moved to my face as the other remained around my waist and he slowly lifted my hips up before pulling me back down.

"Oh god......." I moaned as my hands dove into his hair.

"Fuck..." Edward grunted and repeated the motion again, only this time my hips remained still and his thrust up towards mine.

Hours could have passed for all I knew as Edward continued to thrust into my body, but the white heat I felt before started to bubble under my skin once more. The coil began to tighten in my body and I knew I was close.

"Edward....I....I'm gonna..." I couldn't finish my sentence as Edward picked up his pace.

"Come for me. I need to feel you come," he grunted, not letting up on the thrusting of his body.

Well that seemed to do the trick. My body exploded once again in sheer pleasure as I screamed his name. My body contracted around his and that seemed to cause his thrusting to falter slightly. I could feel his body begin to pulse within mine and I watched his face as his orgasm ripped through him.

'_Beautiful,'_ I thought.

"Bella...." he moaned loudly as his body spasmed and thrust one last time.

Our breathing was labored and ragged as westared at one another. I felt elated but exhausted at the same time. Who knew sex could be exhausting for a vampire? I didn't, but then again, I wasn't the average vampire.

Edward smiled at me as his breathing returned to normal. "You think I'm beautiful?" he asked laughing softly.

"Uh huh," was all I could say.

We stayed locked together as Edward lowered me back to the bed. "I love you," he whispered kissing my forehead before pulling back to smile at me again.

"I love you too," I said with my own smile, but then got a great idea in my head.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"You can't tell?" I asked.

"No, you're shield is back up," he said as he moved some of my hair away from my face.

"Well....since I've waited 80 years...." I trailed off running my hands through his hair.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I think we have some catching up to do," I said wiggling my eyebrows suggestively at him.

"Oh you're on..."

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_**A/N: Like I said..it was my first time writing a full lemon, I hope it was ok. Review!**_


	18. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Ok my readers. after a discussion with my Beta, I have decided that this is the last chapter of my story. Seeing how all the characters are back together and happy, I felt that this was a good point to end Bella's journey. Sorry if it disappoints any of you, but I felt it was the time to let them go and move on. Sorry for the massive time delay as well, it took a while to come up with what I thought was a good ending. Please read the Author's Notes at the bottom as they are important!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!**_

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My body awoke in stages. The exhaustion that my body was capable of was unnerving to me when it came to making up lost time with Edward. Why did I have to be the one vampire in history that suffered from it? Beats the hell out of me. I guess Carlisle was right though, some of us _do_ retain some human aspects of ourselves after the change. But it seems to me, that I retained a lot more human qualities than most. Actually, come to think about it, it seemed that Edward and I were the only ones who retained one -- or more in my case -- human qualities after our change. Weird. Oh well.

My eyes fluttered open and my arms tightened around Edward's torso, snuggling into his side.

"Morning beautiful," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss into my hair.

I just nodded my head. I wasn't sure if I had regained the use of my voice yet. After spending last night and all of Sunday -- yes I said _all_ of Sunday -- rolling around in the sheets, my voice gave out from constantly screaming. Edward laughed at me after I tried to say something to him, but my voice had failed. He told me that it was once again a first in vampire history.

Stupid all-knowing, sexy vampire.

Still, I wasn't _exactly_complaining. The pleasure Edward and his body had invoked from mine was mind-blowing. Who knew sex couldbe so fulfilling? Better talk to Emmett about that later, he'd get a kick out of that.

"Still can't talk?" Edward laughed.

I cleared my throat in an attempt to say something, but when I opened my mouth, nothing.

_'Dammit!'_ I thought.

"Don't worry, love. I'm sure it will come back after you have fed," he said.

I lowered my shield. _'But that won't be until tonight. I can't even whisper. Alice will want details about last night, you know how she is. You are the only person that I can actively talk to, but that's only if I drop my shield. I don't want to walk around defenseless all day. It's unnerving,'_ I thought.

"If that's all you are worried about, then I can fix that right now. But then you _would_ have to give details to her, which I'd rather you not. Some things are private. Besides, Jasper seems to know what you are thinking most of the time as well, so technically you could talk to him to."

_'True. But how could you fix my problem?'_ I thought.

"Quite easily. You take a small drink from me and your voice will be as good as new," he said.

_'Well why didn't I think of that?'_ I thought sourly.

"No need to be sarcastic, love. I rather like being the only one you can _talk_ to," he chuckled.

I looked up at Edward and just shook my head. I extracted myself from his arms and moved off the bed.

"Where do you think you are going?" Edward asked.

_'Shower?'_ I thought.

"Ok, I'll join you," he said getting up out of the bed.

_'No funny business mister!'_

"Actually didn't plan on it," he said.

My face fell.

"Don't pout Bella. There's no point in doing that again if I can't hear you voice your pleasure. What would be the point?" he explained.

_'True, but my shield would be down, so I could _voice_ my opinion in your head, but oh well, you'll just have to wait until after the bar is closed and I am fed. Shame,'_ I thought slyly walking in my bathroom.

"Well since you put it that way," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

I smiled.

After about an hour in the shower and two more times, we got out and got dressed. Seems my plan for _voicing_ my pleasure was a good idea after all.

"All I can hear is your voice in my head. I can't think of anything else," Edward whispered as he came to stand behind me while I brushed through my hair.

_'Then my evil scheme has worked. Mwah ha ha,'_ I thought dropping my brush and rubbing my hands together.

"I'll show you an evil scheme," he smirked reaching for the hem of my shirt.

"Not so fast Edward. We need to get the bar ready to open for tonight," Alice shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "I gave you guys that hour in the shower, but no more. Get down here now!"

_'Stupid impatient pixie!'_ I thought.

"You can say that again," he said kissing the back of my neck softly.

"What did Bella say? I didn't hear her say anything," Alice shouted.

_'Ah, this is nice. Good thing I didn't take you up on your offer.'_

"See, I told you."

After making our way downstairs to the bar, I saw Seth was already here and was finishing up with the restocking of the bar. Alice and Jasper were over by the stage rearranging the lighting equipment. Emmett and Rosalie were constantly walking in and out of the front door bringing in various stage items. Edward had gone over to help Seth out. I just stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched everyone work.

"Hey Bells!" Seth yelled..

I waved at him and patted my throat, signaling to him that I couldn't talk.

"That good huh?" he asked with a wink.

I just smiled at him and winked back. Seth knew when not to say anything, that's why I didn't mind him knowing the reason I couldn't currently talk.

"What was good?" Jasper asked coming over to me to give me my morning hug.

As I hugged him back, I willed my emotions to convey what Seth already knew.

Jasper bent to whisper in my ear, so no one but me could hear.

"I think I know what your _saying_," he said as he pulled back and looked over to Edward who nodded only once.

Jasper looked back at me and smirked as he bent down to once again whisper in my ear.

"Don't worry, ya'll's secret is safe with me and Seth. Now let's see how long it takes for Alice to notice."

Jasper gave me one last squeeze and walked back over to the stage.

"Bella?" Alice asked as she walked over to me from the stage.

I nodded at her.

"Hunting later? You and me are going to chat," she said.

I just nodded again and smiled at her. She looked at me funny but just walked off, not even bothering to talk to me about anything else.

_'Yes, let's see how long it will take for Alice to notice. I'm willing to bet $100 that she notices within five hours,'_ I thought.

Edward coughed behind the bar and I looked over to him with a knowing smile. He winked at me and nodded back letting me know he heard me. I watched as he whispered something in Seth's ear, which resulted in him saying, "Oh, it's on!" and they shook hands in agreement.

Yes, today would definitely be interesting.

The End.

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_**A/N: Sorry if you guys don't like the ending to my story, but the imagination can be a wonderful thing and each and every one of you can probably come up with what happens next. I hope my readers will have enjoyed the ride though. I do have to thank a reader/reviewer by the name of Siobhan, they stood by me and always gave me the best reviews. I would also like to thank edwardobsessive who gave me a heartfelt review that touched my heart because they grasped the characters and their relationships almost better than myself. To Scoccer11, mamato, and snowfire81, who have all been with me since the beginning, Thank you. To ALL my reviewers, THANK YOU!! AND, of course my Beta Fate Lowe, my story would still be full of flaws if not for her. **_

_**Now, I hope since some of you like this story enough add it to your Favorite's list that you would like to read my upcoming story that will be co-authored with my Beta entitled: Crime of Passion. Add me to your Author's Alert list if you would like to read it. It should be up soon. We have the first four chapters done already, so it should come along nicely. Hope you guys will join me and Fate Lowe in the next story!**_

_**A/N 2: For those of you who might not know, a fellow Twilight FanFic author lost her life on May 8th to a drunk driver. Daddy's Little Cannibal. She will be sorely missed by the Twilight community. Her stories were awesome and hilarious and I just wanted to take the chance and honor a fellow author's life and work. If you haven't read her work, please do so, it's totally worth it. Stephanie, you will be missed!**_


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